Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Background: Overt hypothyroidism is associated with Insulin resistance (IR), accelerated arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although SCH (SCH) is also associated with CVD risk remains controversial.

Objective: The present research aimed to assess risk factors for CVD and IR in SCH cases.

Methods: Case control study was carried out on 90 participants. The research included two groups; group one included 45 SCH cases and group two (controls) included 45 healthy volunteers. We assessed common lipid variables, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA IR, thyroid profile for all participants.

Results: There was highly significant rise in anthropometric measures including body weight, BMI and waist circumference in SCH than controls (P value = <0.001). There was significant rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in SCH than controls (P value = <0.001, 0.001). There was significant rise in triglyceride level, total cholesterol and LDL-C in SCH in comparison to controls (P value = 0.019, <0.001, <0.001) and significant decline in HDL-C in SCH in comparison to controls (P value = 0.011). There was significant positive correlation between TSH level and anthropometric measures, BP, indices of IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C, but significant negative correlation with HDL-C.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SCH might increase the risk for CVD which explain the needs for early detection and treatment of such individuals.