PROLACTIN, CORTISOL, FREE THYROXINE AND THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE - MARKERS OF STAGING OF METABOLIC SYNDROME AS A RISK FACTOR OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS.

The study focuses on the levels of prolactin, cortisol, free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) as markers of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) which is a risk factor for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM). 245 patients were examined and divided into 4 groups: 82 patients with MS in the first group; 44 patients with МS complicated by CAD in the second group; 44 patients with CAD and compensated type 2 DM which developed as a result of МS in the third group; 75 patients with decompensated type 2 DM in the fourth group. The control group consisted of 40 healthy individuals. All patients were diagnosed with class ІІ and ІІІ obesity. Then, the levels of prolactin, cortisol, free thyroxinе (fT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. According to the results of the research, significantly increased levels of cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin in women are observed in the first group. The second group is characterized by the normal levels of cortisol and prolactin in women, although the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is significantly increased. The levels of the above-mentioned hormones are not different in patients of the third group compared to the results of the second group. Meanwhile, the cortisol and prolactin levels increase significantly in the fourth group compared with the control group. However, the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is within the normal range. The level of free thyroxine is within the normal range in all groups. Thus, the examined markers represent the pathogenetic and clinical features of the MS course, especially on condition that a patient suffers from CAD and type 2 DM. Furthermore, the examined markers have diagnostic and prognostic significance.