Endocrine Abstracts

According to the findings of recent epidemiological research, thyroid complaints are among the most frequent endocrine illnesses in Italy. Being positively correlated to MPV, the mean platelet volume, in subjects with hypothyroidism, it has been hypothesised in literature that TSH can have a probable prothrombotic effect. The mean platelet volume (MPV), PCT (plateletcrit), PDV (platelet distribution width) and P-LCR (platelet large scale ratio) indicate the dimensions of platelet circulating uniformity.

Aim: The study seeks to evaluate whether platelet indicators can undergo alterations in individuals affected by subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism.

Materials and methods: Between September and December 2014, 60 individuals of both sexes between 18 and 45, all unaffected by other pathologies, were enrolled: 20 with hypothyroidism, 20 with subclinical hypothyroidism and 20 controls. These consented to give peripheral venous blood samples for a complete emochromocitometric examination so as to determine platelet indicators, FT₃, FT₄, TSH thyroid hormones. The PT, APTT coagulative parameters and fibrinogen I levels of the single parameters were statistically evaluated with parametric analyses (l t-test of Student) and linear mixed model.

Results and considerations: Evaluation of the findings yielded that the P-LCT and PCT remained unaltered. Neither were in a state of conclamed hypothyroidism or sub-clinical hypothyroidism (P-value P-LCT=0.36 and 0.38, P-value PCT 0.75 and 0.40 respectively). However, the MPV and PDW seemed to undergo statistically significant modifications in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (P-value 0.0000199–0.0159) and in patients with conclamed hypothyroidism (P-value 1.152 and 8.012), thus reflecting a hypothetical increase of thrombotic risk in such patients. With a view to being able to use the MPV and PDW as useful and affordable cardiovascular illness risk evaluation parameters, it is hoped that research upon more numerous sample populations may be forthcoming.