Publication:

C-reactive protein as an additional marker for increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients of hypothyroidism

Background Prevalence of hypothyroidism and its subsequent cardiometabolic complications is on exponential rise. CRP is raised in hypothyroid patients long before other metabolic derangements of hypothyroidism take place and may be a common Patho physiological factor tying together various components of cardiometabolic dysfunction. Present study was aimed at evaluating the role of CRP as an additional cardiovascular risk marker in hypothyroid patients.

Methods 46 diagnosed hypothyroid patients and 46 age and sex matched healthy controls were included in this study. Participants were evaluated based on detailed history, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. Blood samples were collected after overnight fast. Serum T3, T4, TSH, Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), HDL Cholesterol (HDL-C), VLDL Cholesterol (VLDL-C), LDL Cholesterol (LDL-C) and CRP were estimated.Results were analyzed by unpaired t-test, P-value was determined & Correlation coefficient was calculated amongst various parameters.

Results Statistically significant increased levels of serum TSH, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and CRP in hypothyroid patients as compared with control were observed. We found decreased levels of serum T3 and T 4 in hypothyroid patients as compared with control.

Conclusions An atherogenic lipid profile along with inflammation in patients with hypothyroidism predispose them to cardiovascular disease. Study suggests CRP; a simple, sensitive & independent cardiovascular risk predictor in hypothyroid patients with a potential to reveal hidden burden of metabolic dysfunction and offers a hope that, cardiovascular event can be well prevented with appropriate interventions.