Elevated arterial stiffness and diastolic dysfunction in subclinical hypothyroidism.
BACKGROUND
Thyroid hormone is associated with arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in hypothyroid disease. The relationship of thyroid hormone level to cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and left ventricular diastolic function, however, remains unclear in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism.


RESULTS
We conducted a cross-sectional study of 83 patients with untreated subclinical hypothyroidism and compared them with 83 randomly selected controls from health check-ups. Log N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), and arterial stiffness were measured. In addition, we measured early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E') in 43 participants with subclinical hypothyroidism and in 40 controls. When compared with the control group, patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had higher logNT-proBNP (1.9±0.5 vs. 1.7±0.3pg/ml, P<0.05), CRP (0.22±0.04 vs. 0.09±0.06mg/dl, P<0.05), and CAVI (8.8±1.7 vs. 7.8±1.4, P<0.001) and lower E' (5.8±1.7 vs. 7.5±2.1cm/s, P<0.001). CAVI was significantly associated with logNT-proBNP, CRP and E' in the subclinical hypothyroidism group.


CONCLUSIONS
High logNT-proBNP was associated with a raised CAVI in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism may be a risk factor for cardiovascular events related to arterial stiffening and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine.
Mitsuru
M
Masaki
Kazuo
K
Komamura
Akiko
A
Goda
Shinichi
S
Hirotani
Misato
M
Otsuka
Ayumi
A
Nakabo
Miho
M
Fukui
Shohei
S
Fujiwara
Masataka
M
Sugahara
Masaaki
M
Lee-Kawabata
Takeshi
T
Tsujino
Masahiro
M
Koshiba
Tohru
T
Masuyama
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D016276:Ventricular Function
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein