title: Free Triiodothyronine Concentrations are Inversely Associated with Elevated Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese Population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased carotid artery intima media thickness (C-IMT) is an early feature of atherosclerosis. It has been reported to be altered in patients with thyroid dysfunction, and the evidence is still controversial. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between C-IMT and possible variations in thyroid function in Chinese adults aged 40 years and above.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 2276 non-diabetic participants. Serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of elevated C-IMT decreased according to FT3 quartiles (29.8%, 24.3%, 24.2%, and 22.2%, P for trend=0.005). In both univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses, FT3 levels were inversely associated with C-IMT (both P values ≤ 0.002). Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that high FT3 levels were associated with low prevalent elevated C-IMT. The adjusted odds ratio for elevated C-IMT was 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.99, P=0.04) when comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of FT3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum FT3 levels were inversely associated with elevated C-IMT in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults without diabetes, independent of traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rui-jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Liebin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Tiange
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Baihui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014284:Triiodothyronine