Journal List > J Korean Thyroid Assoc > v.7(2) > 1056561

Yeo, Jo, Lee, Yi, Kang, and Son: Effect of Short-Term Hypothyroid State on Lipid Profile and Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Subjects Preparing Radioactive Iodine Therapy

Abstract

Background and Objectives

The relationship between short-term hypothyroidism due to levothyroxine (LT4) withdrawal for radioactive iodine (RI) therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and risk of cardiovascular disease is not clear. In this study, we evaluated the impact of short-term overt hypothyroidism on lipid profiles and cardiovascular parameters in patients with DTC.

Materials and Methods

We recruited 195 patients with DTC who were preparing RI therapy from March 2008 to February 2012. We analyzed the effect of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level on the clinical, biochemical, and cardiovascular risk markers at the end of LT4 withdrawal protocol (P2).

Results

After LT4 withdrawal (P2), TSH and total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly increased (p<0.005). After adjustment for multiple factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM), the positive relationship between TSH and TC remained significant (p=0.04). Mean levels of homocysteine, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride were increased. However, levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, cystatin C, C-reactive protein, apolipoprotein B (ApoB), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1), lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]), aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, uric acid remained within normal range. Splitting the whole cohort into the three different age groups, serum Apo B, Lp(a) levels and BMI increased with increasing age (p< 0.05). And splitting into three different TSH level groups (1st group; <79 μIU/mL, 2nd group; 79-121 μIU/mL, 3rd group; > 121 μIU/mL), all values did not have a statistical significant meaning except Apo A1.

Conclusion

Short-term hypothyroidism induced worsening of lipid metabolic parameters, but not enough to induce the cardiovascular risk in patients with thyroid cancer.

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Fig. 1.
Study protocols for evaluation of effect of short–term hypothyroid state on lipid and cardiovascular risk markers in subjects with thyroid cancer preparing radioiodine therapy.
jkta-7-172f1.tif
Table 1.
Basal characteristics of subjects
Mean±SD
Age, years 47.6± 12.4
Female, % 85.1 (n=166)
BMI, kg/m2 24.7±3.7
SBP, mmHg 118.7± 14.8
DBP, mmHg 75.9± 11.3
Hypertension, % 23.1 (n=45)
Diabetes, % 7.1 (n=14)
FBS, mg/dL 90.8± 18.2

BMI: body mass index, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, FBS: fasting blood sugar, SBP: systolic blood pressure

Table 2.
Changes in parameters during follow-up
P1 P2 p value
TSH, μIU/mL 3.9±14.1 102.8±47.6 <0.001
T3, ng/mL 1.3±0.2 0.4±0.2 <0.001
FT4, ng/dL 1.2±0.3 0.5±0.2 <0.001
TC, mg/dL 198.8±43.4 262.1±56.7 <0.001
LDLc, mg/dL 152±53.6 169.7±50.3 0.059
HDLc, mg/dL 59.6±15.6 63.4±20.9 0.090
TG, mg/dL 205.9±108.6 212.0±128.1 0.068
SBP, mmHg 118.7±14.8 115.7± 16.9 0.017
DBP, mmHg 75.9±11.3 77.5±10.2 0.015
BMI, kg/m2 24.7±3.7 24.8±3.8 0.312

BMI: body mass index, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, P1: the last day on levothyroxine (LT4) at their usual TSH-suppressive doses, P2: 4 weeks after withdrawal of LT4, SBP: systolic blood pressure

Table 3.
Delta correlation of total cholesterol associated with variables
R Total cholesterol p value
Mean BP 0.131 0.276
Body mass index 0.019 0.687
T3 –0.257 0.054
FT4 –0.292 0.067
TSH 0.305 0.029

BP: blood pressure, FT4: free T4, TSH: thyroid stimulating hormone

Table 4.
Biochemical findings during hypothyroid states (P2)
Mean±SD Reference ranges
TG, mg/dL 212.0±128.1 0–200
LDLc, mg/dL 169.7±50.3 0–160
HDLc, mg/dL 63.4±20.9 45–65
Homocysteine, μmol/L 15.4±7.1 5–15
Cystatin C, mg/L 0.7±0.2 0.51–1.0
hsCRP, mg/dL 0.1±0.2 0–0.5
ApoB, mg/dL 125.5±38.3 50–130
Apo A1, mg/dL 143.3±23.0 120–220
Lipoprotein(a), mg/dL 36.4±27.7 0–40
AST, IU/L 38.0±17.4 10–40
ALT, IU/L 35.1±23.1 6–40
Total Bilirubin, mg/dL 1.2±7.8 0.3–1.3
Uric Acid, mg/dL 4.79±1.42 2.5–8.0

Apo A1: apolipoprotein A1, Apo B: apolipoprotein B, ALT: alanine aminotransferase, AST: aspartate aminotransferase, HDLc: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hsCRP: C-reactive protein, LDLc: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, TG: triglycerides

Table 5.
Clinical and biochemical parameters (P2) in the three different age groups
1st group
(n=54)
2nd group
(n=68)
3rd group
(n=73)
p value Post hoc Scheffe
Sex, % female 87.0% 77.9% 90.4% 0.103
BMI, kg/m2 23.4±3.5 24.9±4.1 25.4±3.3 0.009 1:3
DM, % 1.9% 1.5% 16.4% 0.001 1:3, 2:3
Tg Ab, % 13.0% 5.9% 13.7% 0.271
SBP, mm/Hg 114.0± 12.3 117.4±14.3 123.4±15.9 0.001 1:3
DBP, mm/Hg 73.2± 10.5 75.4±11.5 78.3±11.3 0.015 1:3
LDLc, mg/dL 162.5±41.6 172.6±49.5 172.3±56.7 0.466
HDLc, mg/dL 66.3± 15.6 60.44±13.8 64.0±28.4 0.296
TG, mg/dL 185.8± 114.6 213.1±132.6 230.3±131.7 0.154
Homocysteine, μmol/L 17.2±9.7 14.3±6.7 14.9±4.5 0.073
Cystatin C, mg/L 0.6±0.1 0.6±0.1 0.8±0.1 <0.001 1:3, 2:3
hsCRP, mg/dL 0.1±0.9 0.1±0.3 0.1±0.2 0.125
Apo B, mg/dL 113.6±34.0 126.2±37.2 133.6±40.2 0.013 1:3
Apo A1, mg/dL 146.8±21.5 141.1±20.3 142.9±26.2 0.386
Lipoprotein(a), mg/dL 25.5±14.7 34.9±23.7 45.7±34.8 < 0.001 1:3
Thyroglobulin, mg/dL 8.9±40.7 3.7±6.4 8.8±24.0 0.420
Total bilirubin, mg/dL 0.7±0.3 2.2±13.2 0.5±0.2 0.381
AST, IU/L 36.2±19.4 38.0±14.4 39.4±18.5 0.576
ALT, IU/L 33.8±28.1 37.9±22.0 33.4±19.8 0.455
Uric acid, mg/dL 4.6±1.3 5.0±1.6 4.8±1.3 0.347

Age groups were defined as: 1st group; <39 years, 2nd group; 40–49 years, 3rd group; >50 years Apo A1: apolipoprotein A1, Apo B: apolipoprotein B, ALT: alanine aminotransferase, AST: aspartate aminotransferase, BMI: body mass index, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, HDLc: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hsCRP: C-reactive protein, LDLc: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, SBP: systolic blood pressure, TG: triglycerides

Table 6.
Clinical and biochemical features of the whole cohort according to three different TSH level groups
1st group
(n=65)
2nd group
(n=66)
3rd group
(n=64)
p value Post hoc Scheffe
Sex, % female 80% (n=52) 84% (n=56) 90.6% (n=58) 0.239
Age, years 50.4±11.2 44.7±11.4 47.7±13.9 0.031 1:2
BMI, kg/m2 24.9±3.5 24.4±4.4 24.7±3.0 0.673
DM, % 7.6% (n=5) 7.6% (n=5) 6.3% (n=4) 0.941
Tg Ab, % 7.6% (n=5) 7.6% (n=5) 17.2% (n=11) 0.131
Systolic BP, mm/Hg 118.7±15.9 119.4±14.3 117.8±14.4 0.840
DiastolicBP, mm/Hg 75.0±11.6 76.7±11.6 75.9±10.7 0.672
LDLc, mg/dL 163.7±57.8 164.3±45.1 181.4±45.7 0.080
HDLc, mg/dL 59.1±15.7 66.4±28.3 64.7±15.5 0.114
TG, mg/Dl 212.6±143.2 195.7±114.5 228.2±125.0 0.265
Homocysteine, μmol/L 15.8±7.4 15.5±7.3 14.8±6.5 0.753
Cystatin C, mg/L 0.7±0.1 0.7±0.2 0.6±0.1 0.090
hsCRP, mg/dL 0.2±0.3 0.1±0.1 0.1±0.1 0.066
Apo B, mg/dL 127.8±40.7 118.5±31.7 130.4±41.3 0.170
Apo A1, mg/dL 138.0±24.0 149.7±21.6 142.2±22.1 0.019 1:2
Lipoprotein(a), mg/dL 36.9±31.7 35.3±24.3 37.4±26.9 0.902
Thyroglobulin, mg/dL 8.4±23.8 9.9±38.0 2.8±4.7 0.265
T3, ng/mL 0.5±0.1 0.4±0.2 0.4±0.2 0.062
FT4, mg/dL 0.7±0.2 0.5±0.2 0.5±0.2 0.059
Total bilirubin, mg/dL 0.6±0.3 2.2±13.3 0.6±0.2 0.381
AST, IU/L 37.3±18.2 35.8±17.0 41.0±16.8 0.221
ALT, IU/L 35.8±19.7 35.0±28.8 34.5±19.8 0.950
Uric acid, mg/dL 5.0±1.5 4.8±1.4 4.6±1.3 0.443

TSH groups were defined as: 1st group; <79 μIU/mL, 2nd group; 79-121 μIU/mL, 3rd group; < 121 μIU/mL Apo A1: apolipoprotein A1, Apo B: apolipoprotein B, ALT: alanine aminotransferase, AST: aspartate aminotransferase, BMI: body mass index, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, HDLc: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hsCRP: C-reactive protein, LDLc: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, SBP: systolic bloodpressure, TG: triglycerides

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