The importance of anthropometric paremeters in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Abstract

Introduction: The concept of subclinical thyroid disease appeared in the 1980s when sensitive procedures for the measurement of the thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum were introduced. Subclinical hypothyroidism is defined by the finding of elevated serum TSH concentrations with normal thyroid hormone levels. The incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism with increased cardiovascular risk has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of the study was to identify anthropometric parameters that may indicate an increased cardiometabolic risk in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Method: The study will include 140 patients aged 18-65, with 105 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and a control group of 35 healthy, normally nourished subjects without subclinical hypothyroidism. A program of research will be carried out in all patients and it will include: detailed anamnesis and physical examination, anthropometric measurements (weight measurements, body height, waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight mass measurement by the bioelectrical impedance analysis method (%BFP), calculation of: body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WC/HC), waist-to-height ratio (WC/Ht) and laboratory testing (FT3, FT4, TSH). Results: Examinees with subclinical hypothyroidism had statistically significantly elevated mean TSH values (6.87 + 1.34 mIU/ml) compared to TSH euthyroid examinees (1.9 + .88 mIU/ml). The mean age of subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism was 44.15 ± 11.23 years (MA = 43 years), and in subjects without subclinical hypothyroidism, 33.80 ± 10.60 years (MA = 33 years). In relation to the control group (euthyroid patients), patients with subclinical form of hypothyroidism had higher average mean values and statistically significantly higher incidence of elevated values: BMI (T test = 7.465, p < 0.0001; 2 = 35.977, p < 0.0001), %BFP (T test = 8.594, p < 0.0001; 2 = 44.956, p < 0.0001), WC (T test = 6.262, p < 0.0001; 2 = 48.865, p < 0.0001), and WC/Ht ratio (T test = 7.372, p < 0.0001; 2 = 39.175, p < 0.0001). The WC/HC ratio in the group with subclinical hypothyroidism was higher than in the group without subclinical hypothyroidism, but not statistically significant (T test = -0.946, p = ns; 2 = 0.622, p = 0). Conclusion: In the subclinical form of hypothyroidism, changes in the degree of nutrition and body weight can already be recorded, which, among other things, contributes to the development of increased cardiometabolic risk.

Factors affecting blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension and subclinical hypothyroidism

“…Higher values of BMI, which is a CVR factor, together with lower waist to hip ratio due to HC, which indicates an improvement in the cardioprotective effect, were seen in patients with concomitant SH. The results of other researchers generally indicate a deterioration of anthropometric data in patients with SH, namely an increased risk of being overweight and central obesity [15,27,28].…”

“…A possible cause of such changes may be the existence of the typical disorders in SH, which leads to an increase in the impact of certain factors on BP and, as a consequence, reduce the impact of other indicators. It can be assumed that the reasons for the increase in the influence of certain markers in patients with SH are probably: • high prevalence and severity of hyperinsulinemia in patients with SH [14]; • increase in prevalence and severity of existing lipid disorders, especially hypertriglyceridemia, with the addition of SH [15,33]; • increase in obesity prevalence and grade in SH, which is associated with changes in WC and HC [28]; • violation oxidative state processes in SH [22].…”

Examining Body Fat Percentage, Galvanic Skin Response, and Muscle Grip Strength in Female Hypothyroid Patients

“…Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the effect of BFP due to hypothyroidism while only a few studies have been conducted on HGS and GSR nationally as well as globally [8][9][10]. According to a study by Mulic et al, patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had higher mean values and statistically significantly higher incidences of elevated values of body mass index (BMI), BFP, waist circumference (WC), and WC/height ratio compared to the control group of euthyroid patients [11]. Similarly, Azevêdo et al also reported a higher BFP in women diagnosed with hypothyroidism above 35 years of age when compared to those who did not have the same pathology [8].…”