title: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and cardiovascular disease is not fully understood. We investigated risk factors for cardiovascular disease (lipid profile, lipoproteins, insulin resistance, C-reactive protein [CRP] homocysteine [Hcy] and fibrinogen levels) and their relationships with thyroid hormones in SCH patients and controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight SCH patients and 44 controls were enrolled in this study. No patients had any substantial confounding medical conditions (including diabetes mellitus or coronary heart disease) or were taking thyroid-related medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum total cholesterol (P<0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.05) and triglycerides (P<0.001) were higher in patients with SCH than in controls. Serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels were higher in SCH subjects but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P=0.07). No significant differences were noted in CRP, Hcy, fibrinogen, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1, apolipoprotein B (Apo B) or insulin resistance between patients with SCH and controls (in all cases, P>0.05). Free triiodothyronine (FT3) negatively correlated with Apo B (r=.0.46, P=0.005) and Lp(a) (r=.0.31, P=0.03) in patients with SCH and negatively correlated with Lp(a) (r=.0.30, P=0.04) in controls. All of these parameters were comparable between patients with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) >10 microIU/ml and TSH <10 microIU/ml (in SCH patients, P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that SCH is associated with some lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities. Our results also suggest that this association does not depend on the subject's TSH level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toruner
authors.forename: Alev E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Altinova
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karakoc
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: Goksun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ayvaz
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arslan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins