Korean Circ J.  2005 Jan;35(1):43-48. 10.4070/kcj.2005.35.1.43.

Is Thyroid Hormone a Risk Factor of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Korean Patients?

• Yun KH
• Jeong MH
• Kang DG
• Kim KH
• Lim SY
• Lee YS
• Lee SH
• Hong SN
• Hong YJ
• Kim JH
• Ahn YK
• Cho JG
• Park JC
• Kim NH
• Oh SK
• Jeong JW
• Kang JC

• KMID: 2093911
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2005.35.1.43

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Overt and subclinical hypothyroidism is known to be associated with developing atherosclerosis and adverse changes in blood lipid. There has been no data regarding the effects of a normal range of thyroid hormone on the presence of coronary atherosclerosis.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
We studied 1 25 consecutive patients (age: 60.0 +/-11.1 years, male: female=84:41) who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography. The clinical diagnoses on admission were stable angina (32.0%), unstable angina (53.6%), and acute myocardial infarction (14.4%). The thyroid hormones [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine and free 3 -iodothyronine], serum lipid levels, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level, homocysteine and fibrinogen levels were measured. The coronary angiographic results were compared with laboratory findings.
RESULTS
The angiographic diagnoses of coronary artery disease were no significant stenosis in 4 1 patients (32.8%), single vessel disease in 47 patients (37.6%) and multivessel disease in 37 patients (29.6%). The serum TSH levels showed a trend toward higher levels in the patients with multivessel disease compared to the patients with no significant stenosis (1.22+/-0.96 uIU/mL vs. 0.73+/-0.53 uIU/mL, respectively, p=0.053). According to the levels of TSH (<1.0 uIU/mL and > or =1.0 IU/mL), the incidence of multivessel disease was significantly higher in the patients with high serum TSH levels (23.1 % vs. 40.0%, respectively, p=0.038). A significant correlation was observed between the levels of TSH and the monocyte count (r=0.251, p=0.005), hsCRP level (r=0.208, p=0.023) and homocysteine level (r=0.279, p=0.002).
CONCLUSION
The high level of serum TSH is associated with multivessel disease, abnormal inflammatory markers and high homocysteine levels.

Keyword

Thyroid gland; Coronary disease; Arteriosclerosis

MeSH Terms

Angina, Stable
Angina, Unstable
Arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
C-Reactive Protein
Constriction, Pathologic
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Artery Disease*
Coronary Disease
Diagnosis
Fibrinogen
Homocysteine
Humans
Hypothyroidism
Incidence
Male
Monocytes
Myocardial Infarction
Reference Values
Risk Factors*
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroxine
C-Reactive Protein
Fibrinogen
Homocysteine
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroxine