Association of metabolic risks with subclinical hypothyroidism: A cross-sectional analysis

OBJECTIVE: To compare lipid parameters, HbA1c, uric acid and albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) among subjects having euthyroidism, Sub-Clinical Hypothyroidism (SCH) and overt hypothyroidism. METHODS: This comparative cross-sectional analysis was carried out from Dec-2015 to Oct-2016 in collaboration between PNS HAFEEZ hospital and department of chemical pathology and endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi. Biochemical parameters including lipid indices, HbA1c and UACR were compared between euthyroidism (TSH: 0.5 to 4.0 mIU/L, n=163), subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH: 4.0 to 10 mIU/L, n=16) and overt hypothyroidism (TSH:≥ 10.0 mIU/L, n=9). RESULTS: LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and UACR results were as: [(Euthyroid: 2.66 ± 0.73), (SCH: 2.68 ± 0.51) and (Overt hypothyroidism: 3.23 ± 0.59), p-value=0.063], [(Euthyroid: 3.49 ± 0.64), (SCH: 3.35 ± 0.59) and (Overt hypothyroidism: 4.01 ± 0.30), p-value=0.033] and [{Euthyroid: 2.48 (95% CI: 1.63-3.33)}, {SCH: 2.27 (95% CI: 0.37-4.90)} and {Overt hypothyroidism: 14.95 (95% CI: 10.71-19.14){, (p-value< 0.001)] Results for total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol though increased in overt hypothyroid group were not found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and UACR increased from euthyroid subjects to overt hypothyroidism group. However, these changes were found to be more subtle in the subclinical hypothyroid subjects than cases with overt hypothyroidism.