title: Coronary artery calcium scoring is a better predictor of cardiac risk in subclinical hypothyroidism patients with low-risk Framingham score.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overt hypothyroidism accelerates the cardiovascular disease. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), being considered as a preclinical state, impacts on cardiovascular status is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at assessing cardiac risk stratification by Framingham risk scoring (FRS) and coronary coronary artery calcium score (CACS) by noncontrast cardiac computed tomography in SCH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled thirty treatment-naive SCH patients (aged 30-60 years with no serious concurrent medical conditions), thirty euthyroid (age, sex, and body mass index-matched) controls, and ten healthy controls. All cases were evaluated for coronary artery calcium scoring and Framingham risk score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. In addition, demographics and CACS are summarized graphically or in a table.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SCH cases had higher thyroglobulin, while there was a trend toward an increase in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very LDL, and decrease in HDL levels. All participants had low-risk FRS (10-year FRS < 10%). The mean CACS in SCH was significantly higher than simple obese and healthy controls (47.17 vs. 2.67 vs. 0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that SCH is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in apparently healthy controls. The risk of occult coronary artery disease is increased in SCH cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radio Diagnosis and Imaging Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Piyush
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Agrawal
keywords: Framingham risk score; modified Agatston score; obesity; subclinical hypothyroidism