Systolic pulmonary artery pressure and echocardiographic measurements in patients with euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) and echocardiographic findings in patients with euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).


METHODS
Thirty (8 male, 22 female, mean age 47.4+/-10.5 yr) consecutive patients with euthyroid HT and 30 (9 male, 21 female, mean age 46.4+/-10.7 yr) healthy controls were included in the study. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed for all patients and levels of thyroid hormones, thyroid autoantibodies, glucose, insulin, urea, and creatinine were compared.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in sex, age, body mass index, serum free T4, serum TSH, lipid profiles between patients and controls. Mean SPAP in patients with euthyroid HT were significantly higher than in controls (31.6+/-5.0 vs 25.6+/-4.5 mmHg, p=0.005). Late diastolic transmitral velocity and isovolumic relaxation time were also significantly higher in patients in comparison to controls. In addition, euthyroid HT patients with tricuspid or mitral regurgitation had a higher grade. Correlation between SPAP and antithyroid antibodies and TSH, however, was not significant in this population.


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary arterial pressure is higher in patients with euthyroid HT. There may be a relationship between elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and autoimmune thyroid disease independent from thyroid function status. However, further investigations are needed to determine the exact mechanism of association between autoimmune thyroid diseases and pulmonary hypertension.
Sahin
M
M
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Baskent School of Medicine, Zulfikar sok 28/8 Buyukesat, Ankara, Turkey. drsahinmustafa@yahoo.com
Sade
L E
LE
Tutuncu
N B
NB
Gursoy
A
A
Kebapcilar
L
L
Kabapcilar
L
L
Muderrisoglu
H
H
Guvener
N D
ND
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D002784:Cholesterol; D013974:Thyroxine