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Carotid artery intima media thickness is inversely related to serum free thyroxine in euthyroid subjects
Author(s) -
Dullaart Robin P. F.,
De Vries Rindert,
Roozendaal Carolien,
Kobold Anneke C. Muller,
Sluiter Wim J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2007.02943.x
Subject(s) - euthyroid , medicine , endocrinology , body mass index , thyroid function , intima media thickness , cholesterol , thyroid , blood pressure , carotid arteries
Summary Objective The effect of thyroid function on cardiovascular risk may extend to the euthyroid range. In euthyroid subjects, we determined whether carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, is related to thyroid function. Design and subjects Cross‐sectional study in a cohort of 78 nonsmoking, predominantly middle‐aged, euthyroid subjects (44 men and 34 women, mean age 56 years, TSH between 0·5 mU/l and 4·0 mU/l and FT4 between 11·0 pmol/l and 19·5 pmol/l). Measurements IMT (mean of three segments in both carotid arteries by ultrasonography), clinical factors, insulin resistance (HOMA ir ), plasma lipids, C‐reactive protein (CRP), serum FT4, TSH and thyroid autoantibodies. Results In several multiple linear regression models, age‐ and sex‐adjusted IMT was found to be independently related to either pulse pressure and body mass index (BMI), to high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or to FT4, but not to TSH, thyroid autoantibodies, HOMA ir , CRP, non‐HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. In a subsequent model which included age, sex, pulse pressure, body mass index (BMI), HDL cholesterol and FT4, IMT was independently and positively related to age (β = 0·43, P < 0·001), male sex (β = 0·34, P = 0·014), pulse pressure (β = 0·29, P = 0·002), BMI (β = 0·24, P = 0·007) and inversely related to FT4 (β = –0·19, P = 0·046). IMT was also inversely related to FT4 in a model which included HDL cholesterol, non‐HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Conclusions In euthyroid subjects, IMT is associated with FT 4 , after controlling for clinical factors, lipid levels and thyroid autoantibodies. These findings raise the possibility that, even within the euthyroid range, low normal thyroid function may adversely affect cardiovascular risk.