Title: Lipid Abnormalities in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism Attending a Tertiary Care Centre in Rural South Kerala

Authors: Dr Sandra Mosses, Dr H Poornima

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i11.94

Abstract

Background: There exists a controversy regarding the association of subclinical hypothyroidism with lipid abnormalities .The present study was planned to determine whether lipid abnormalities is present in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism in rural South Kerala.

Objective: To study the prevalence of lipid abnormalities among patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Materials & Methods: This was an observational study among 102 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. The lipid abnormalities in the form of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL and triglyceride levels were studied in these patients.

Results: In this study, 72% were females showing a female preponderance. About 71.6% had elevated total cholesterol levels. 72.5% patients had elevated LDL levels. VLDL levels were elevated only in 46.1%.  Also 60.8% had HDL levels within normal levels and only 39% had HDL levels <45mg/dl. Triglyceride levels were elevated in 56.9% patients. When the lipid abnormalities were assessed according to the severity of subclinical hypothyroidism, there was a significant increase in dyslipidemia among those who had TSH level >10 μIU/ml.

Conclusions: This study showed significant increase in total cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride levels as well as not much increase in VLDL levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Keywords: Subclinical hypothyroidism; Lipid profile; Cardiovascular risk.

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Corresponding Author

Dr H Poornima

Additional Professor, Department of Medicine, Govt.TD Medical College, Alappuzha, Kerala, India-688005