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- Title
Decrease in carotid intima-media thickness in hypothyroid patients after normalization of thyroid function.
- Authors
Nagasaki, Toshiki; Inaba, Masaaki; Henmi, Yasuko; Kumeda, Yasuro; Ueda, Misako; Tahara, Hideki; Sugiguchi, Shigeru; Fujiwara, Shigehiko; Emoto, Masanori; Ishimura, Eiji; Onoda, Naoyoshi; Ishikawa, Tetsuro; Nishizawa, Yoshiki
- Abstract
This case–control study was carried out to assess whether levothyroxine (L-T4) replacement might cause regression of the enhanced atherosclerosis seen in hypothyroid patients. Intima-media thickness (IMT) in the common carotid artery (CCA) was measured from digitalized still images taken during scanning by high-resolution ultrasonography as an indicator of early atherosclerosis. Thirty-five hypothyroid patients were examined for their CCA IMT before and 1 year after normalization of thyroid function by L-T4 replacement. As control, 35 healthy subjects were enrolled from among the participants in a local health-check programme conducted at the Osaka City University Hospital. Basal CCA IMT was significantly higher in hypothyroid patients [0·635 ± 0·018 (mean ± SE) mm] than in control subjects (0·559 ± 0·021 mm, P < 0·005). After 1 year of euthyroidism, 34 out of 35 patients showed a significant decrease of CCA IMT, to 0·552 ± 0·015 mm ( P < 0·0001), a level comparable to normal controls. CCA IMT change was closely associated with basal levels of total cholesterol ( r = −0·472, P= 0·0031), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ( r = −0·441, P= 0·0076) and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio ( r =−0·435, P= 0·0057), but not with any of the other variables measured except for age ( r = −0·353, P= 0·0296). This study demonstrated that L-T4 treatment might have the potential to reverse the progression of atherosclerosis in hypothyroid patients. Furthermore, it suggests that increased levels of LDL cholesterol and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio have an important role in the increased common carotid intima-media thickness in hypothyroid patients.
- Subjects
HYPOTHYROIDISM; THYROID gland; PATIENTS
- Publication
Clinical Endocrinology, 2003, Vol 59, Issue 5, p607
- ISSN
0300-0664
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01893.x