Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: The aim of this retrospective study is to assess the lipid disturbances in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Methods: 1380 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, hospitalized in Endocrinology department of ‘St. Marina’ Hospital, Varna for the period of 2004–2015 year, participated in the study. After excluding conditions influencing lipid profile, 771 patients remained for analysis (36 men and 735 women, mean age 49.81±13.98 years). They are divided in three groups according to TSH values - group A (0.4–4 mU/l), group B (4.01–10 mU/l), group C (TSH ≥10.01 mU/l). Group B is divided into two subgroups – B1 – patients with negative thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO Ab) and B2 – patients with positive TPO Ab. We evaluated thyroid ultrasound data, laboratory tests of TSH, free T3 (FT₃), free T4 (FT₄), TPO-Ab, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), LDL - and HDL-cholesterol levels.

Results: With the increase of TSH value, we observe elevation in serum triglycerides (group A-TG 1.34 mmol/l, group B-1, 44 mmol/l, group C-1, 69 mmol/l); as well as in LDL-c values (group A-3, 41 mmol/l; group B- 3, 53 mmol/l; group C-4, 19 mmol/l). The comparison of the two subgroups B1 and B2 find out increasing levels of TC, TG, LDL-c and a decreasing of HDL-c. A significant difference in TG between patients in group A and C is observed (P 0.001). Statistical significance in LDL-c level is achieved in group A and C (P 0.000), group B and C (P 0.000), in group B2 and C (P 0.001). 16.9% of the patients from group B and 17.1% from group C had already coronary heart disease and/or cerebrovascular disease.

Conclusions: Autoimmune thyroiditis as one of the main reasons for hypothyroidism is associated with lipid abnormalities and increased cardiovascular risk, which are more pronounced in overt than in subclinical hypothyroidism.