title: Dyslipidaemia and hypertension in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess whether subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is associated with dyslipidaemia and arterial hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Skopje, R. Macedonia, we examined 24 consecutive patients with SCH and 13 healthy controls in a period of 6 months. SCH was defined as an elevated thyrotropin (TSH) (> 4.2 mU/l) and normal free thyroxine (fT4) level (10.3-24.45 pmol/l). None of the patients had been previously treated with thyroxine. In all participants we determined blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), TSH, fT4, antibodies to thyroid peroxidise (TPOabs), total lipids (TL), total cholesterol (TH), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean diastolic blood pressure increased in SCH patients vis-a-vis controls (85 vs. 74 mmHg; p < 0.05). Mean values of TL, TH, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C were no different in patients with SCH compared with controls. Individual analysis revealed that the percentages of patients with SCH having arterial hypertension (29%), hypertriglyceridaemia (34.78%), elevated LDL-C (41.66%), elevated TC/HDL-C (21.7%), and LDL-C/HDL-C (21.74%) ratios were higher than the percentages in controls. No significant correlation between TSH and biochemical parameters was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that SCH patients have a greater prevalence of dyslipidaemia and arterial hypertension, and, as well, a greater value of mean diastolic pressure vs. control patients.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Clinic, Medical Faculty, Skopje, R. Macedonia. valentina.velksoka@yahoo.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velkoska Nakova
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krstevska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosevski
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Dimitrovski
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Serafimoski
mesh_terms: D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged