Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Abstract

The significance of subclinical hypothyroidism in regard to ensuing hyperlipidemia remains unclear. Because an unfavorable lipid profile would provide a possible explanation for the reported association of coronary-heart disease with this syndrome, we have evaluated the relationship of thyrotropin (TSH) with total cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in patients with normal thyroid function (n = 4886) as well as subclinical (n = 1055) and manifest (n = 92) hypothyroidism. Serum concentrations of LDL cholesterol were similar in euthyroid persons (134+/-39 mg/dL) and in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (137+/-40 mg/dL) but were higher (178+/-70 mg/dL, p < 0.01) in overt hypothyroidism. Within the group of subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism there was no apparent relationship between serum concentrations of TSH ranging from 4.0 to 49.0 microU/mL and concentrations of LDL cholesterol. Thus, there is no "threshold value" of TSH in these patients per se necessitating substitution therapy with thyroxine.

A study of lipid profile in patients of subclinical hypothyroidism in rural area of Western Uttar Pradesh, India

“…21 Vierhapper et al reported that there were no significant differences in serum TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, or TG between patients with SCH and the euthyroid control group. 22 However, in our study TC and LDL-C were significantly high (p value <0.05) in SCH patients as compared to control group. TG and VLDL-C were higher in SCH patients as compared to control group but the difference was not statistically significant.…”

Coronary Flow Reserve Is Impaired in Subclinical Hypothyroidism

“…In the present study, we revealed that left ventricular diastolic function was impaired in patients with SHT as compared with controls. Third, previous studies have also shown that SHT is associated with dyslipidemia 20,11 and abnormal vascular reactivity (a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis) that is identified by impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. 21 -23 Altered serum lipid levels and abnormal vascular reactivity may confer a higher risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with SHT.…”

Association between Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Case-Control Study

“…SCH is associated with atherogenic lipid profile (Bindels et al 1999;Tsimihodimos et al 1999;Pirich et al 2000;Tzotzas et al 2000;Vierhapper et al 2000;Efstathiadou et al 2001;Meier et al 2001;Kanaya et al 2002;Caraccio et al 2002;Monzani et al 2004), impaired vascular function (Taddei et al 2003), impaired cardiac function, and increased risk for the development of atherosclerosis and myocardial dysfunction (Hak et al 2000;Biondi et al 2002). With respect to the metabolic syndrome, as might be expected, the prevalence of SCH is higher in patients with metabolic conditions than that in non-metabolic syndrome subjects (Uzunlulu et al 2007).…”