Evaluation of the Cardiac Morphologic Alterations Secondary to Autoimmune Thyroid Disorder Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PURPOSE: Thyroid functional disease is associated with clinically significant cardiovascular changes. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with AIT (12 men, 28 women; age range, 20 to 82 y; mean age, 59 y) were identified and included in our study. In addition, 20 controls (12 men, 8 women; age range, 21 to 76 y; mean age, 50 y) without AIT or cardiac disorders were included. RESULTS: In patients with AIT, the mean value calculated for the end diastolic volume was 161.2 mL, the mean end systolic volume value was 95.3 mL, and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction value was 45.2%. In comparing AIT patients with the control group, we found a significant difference in the end systolic volume, ejection fraction, stroke index, cardiac output, cardiac index, and left ventricular diameter (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that our data show that there is a correlation between thyroid function and cardiac function, as evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. This can be useful in the diagnosis of cardiovascular changes associated with AIT.