OBJECTIVE: In order to determine whether screening of thyroid function is justified in patients with hypercholesterolaemia, we determined the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism at different levels of total plasma cholesterol in middle-aged men and women. DESIGN AND METHODS: 1200 participants were selected from a population based cross sectional study on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The participants were divided into three groups: total plasma cholesterol < 5 mmol/l, total plasma cholesterol 5-8 mmol/l, total plasma cholesterol > 8 mmol/l. Each group was comparable in size and sex distribution. Subclinical hypothyroidism was defined as plasma TSH levels higher than 4 mU/l, in the presence of normal free thyroxine (FT4(4)) concentration. RESULTS: Plasma samples of a total of 1191 participants were analyzed. The overall prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was 1.9% in men and 7.6% in women of middle age. In women the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism increased from 4.0 percent in the lowest, to 10.3 percent in the highest cholesterol stratum (P = 0.02). In men, the mean prevalence was 1.8 percent and roughly similar in the various strata. After age correction, an increase of 1 mU/l TSH in women was associated with an increase of 0.09 mmol/l total plasma cholesterol (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02-0.16 mmol/l). A similar trend was found in men (0.16 mmol/l, 95% CI -0.02-0.34 mmol/l). CONCLUSIONS: In the population, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is up to 10 percent in middle aged women with high levels of total plasma cholesterol and may justify case-finding. In these women approximately 0.5 mmol/l of total plasma cholesterol can be attributed to the subclinical thyroid dysfunction. In men a similar correlation between thyroid dysfunction and total plasma cholesterol is seen, but the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is considerably lower.
OBJECTIVE: In order to determine whether screening of thyroid function is justified in patients with hypercholesterolaemia, we determined the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism at different levels of total plasma cholesterol in middle-aged men and women. DESIGN AND METHODS: 1200 participants were selected from a population based cross sectional study on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The participants were divided into three groups: total plasma cholesterol < 5 mmol/l, total plasma cholesterol 5-8 mmol/l, total plasma cholesterol > 8 mmol/l. Each group was comparable in size and sex distribution. Subclinical hypothyroidism was defined as plasma TSH levels higher than 4 mU/l, in the presence of normal free thyroxine (FT4(4)) concentration. RESULTS: Plasma samples of a total of 1191 participants were analyzed. The overall prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was 1.9% in men and 7.6% in women of middle age. In women the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism increased from 4.0 percent in the lowest, to 10.3 percent in the highest cholesterol stratum (P = 0.02). In men, the mean prevalence was 1.8 percent and roughly similar in the various strata. After age correction, an increase of 1 mU/l TSH in women was associated with an increase of 0.09 mmol/l total plasma cholesterol (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02-0.16 mmol/l). A similar trend was found in men (0.16 mmol/l, 95% CI -0.02-0.34 mmol/l). CONCLUSIONS: In the population, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is up to 10 percent in middle aged women with high levels of total plasma cholesterol and may justify case-finding. In these women approximately 0.5 mmol/l of total plasma cholesterol can be attributed to the subclinical thyroid dysfunction. In men a similar correlation between thyroid dysfunction and total plasma cholesterol is seen, but the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is considerably lower.
Authors: Simon H S Pearce; Georg Brabant; Leonidas H Duntas; Fabio Monzani; Robin P Peeters; Salman Razvi; Jean-Louis Wemeau Journal: Eur Thyroid J Date: 2013-11-27
Authors: Jae Ho Cho; Ho Jin Kim; Jun Ho Lee; Il Rae Park; Jun Sung Moon; Ji Sung Yoon; In-Kyu Lee; Kyu Chang Won; Hyoung Woo Lee Journal: Korean J Intern Med Date: 2016-06-08 Impact factor: 2.884
Authors: Chan Hee Jung; Ki Chul Sung; Hun Sub Shin; Eun Jung Rhee; Won Young Lee; Bum Soo Kim; Jin Ho Kang; Hyang Kim; Sun Woo Kim; Man Ho Lee; Jung Ro Park; Seon Woo Kim Journal: Korean J Intern Med Date: 2003-09 Impact factor: 2.884