title: Serum Total Sialic Acid Level is Elevated in Hypothyroid Patients as an Atherosclerotic Risk Factor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum total sialic acid (TSA) concentration is regarded as an indicator of the risks of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The association between SA levels and atherosclerosis risk factors has not been assessed in patients with thyroid diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty newly diagnosed treatment-naive hypothyroid patients, 35 with subclinical and 25 with overt hypothyroidism, and 30 euthyroid individuals were analyzed. SA was measured in fasting blood samples, as were routine biochemical parameters, some atherosclerosis markers and carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean SA (38.1 ± 12.0 vs. 46.0 ±15.8; P = 0.019) and CIMT (0.57 ± 0.06 vs. 0.62 ± 0.12; P = 0.013) were found to be higher in the patient group compared with the control group. Mean sialic acid was higher in overt hypothyroidism patients compared with subclinical hypothyroidism patients and the control group. No difference was found between the subclinical hypothyroidism group and the control group. Sialic acid level and CIMT had a positive correlation in both the entire population and the hypothyroidism group. The linear regression model established for mean CIMT level in the entire population showed that risk factors of LDL (B ± SE = 0.454 ± 0.206; P = 0.030), uric acid (B ± SE = 1.902 ± 0.686; P = 0.007), hs-CRP (B ± SE = 1.003 ± 0.380; P =0.010), and SA (B ± SE = 2.419 ± 0.450; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of CIMT level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sialic acid level is elevated in hypothyroid patients. However, this elevation is not related to thyroid hormone levels and autoantibodies. Correlations between SA and atherosclerosis indicators, such as CIMT, LDL, hs-CRP, and uric acid, in hypothyroid individuals suggest that SA may be an indicator of atherogenesis in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altay
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ayhan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karakoç
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Çakır
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yılmaz Demirtaş
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ethem Turgay
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Cerit
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Müjde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aktürk
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: İhsan
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Ateş
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bukan
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arslan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014527:Uric Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid
keywords: atherosclerosis; carotid artery intima media thickness; hypothyroidism; sialic acid; uric acid