Frequency of subclinical thyroid dysfunction and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among women at a workplace.
OBJECTIVE
Subclinical thyroid dysfunction is very common in clinical practice and there is some evidence that it may be associated with cardiovascular disease. The aim here was to evaluate the frequencies of subclinical thyroid disease and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among women at a workplace, and to evaluate the association between subclinical thyroid disease and cardiovascular risk factors among them.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study on 314 women aged 40 years or over who were working at Universidade de São Paulo (USP).


METHODS
All the women answered a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the Rose angina questionnaire. Anthropometric variables were measured and blood samples were analyzed for blood glucose, total cholesterol and fractions, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (free-T4) and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (anti-TPO).


RESULTS
The frequencies of subclinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were, respectively, 7.3% and 5.1%. Women with subclinical thyroid disease presented higher levels of anti-TPO than did women with normal thyroid function (P = 0.01). There were no differences in sociodemographic factors and cardiovascular risk factors according to thyroid function status, except for greater sedentarism among the women with subclinical hypothyroidism. Restricting the comparison to women with subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH > 10 mIU/l) did not change the results.


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample of women, there was no association between poor profile of cardiovascular risk factors and presence of subclinical thyroid disease that would justify screening at the workplace.
Diaz-Olmos
Rodrigo
R
Division of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitário, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Nogueira
Antônio-Carlos
AC
Penalva
Daniele Queirós Fucciolo
DQ
Lotufo
Paulo Andrade
PA
Benseñor
Isabela Martins
IM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D017132:Workplace
D000906:Antibodies; D001786:Blood Glucose; D013972:Thyrotropin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D013974:Thyroxine