ENGLISH ABSTRACT
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

[Effect of treatment with levothyroxine in the lipid profile of the patients with subclinical hypothyroidism].

OBJECTIVE: Controversy surrounds the issue of whether levothyroxine treatment improves lipid profile in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT). The objective was to detect substantial differences -> or = 20% in total cholesterol (TC) and > or = 15 mg/dl in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)- in the lipid profiles of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT) after initiating levothyroxine replacement therapy (T4).

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Observational retrospective cohort study with paired data.

LOCATION: Primary care center in Manresa (Barcelona).

PARTICIPANTS: 100 patients with SHT treated with levothyroxine.

MAIN MEASURES: Demographic and clinical variables from the clinical history, as well as temporal data -SHT diagnosis, beginning of T4 treatment and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) normalization, and the quantity of T4 administered to treat SHT-were gathered. Data for TSH, lipid profile and body mass index were recorded at specific moments (beginning of treatment, after 6-18 months on T4, at the euthyroidism stage, and the last value registered in the previous 12 months).

RESULTS: The mean age was 61+/-15 [95% confidence interval (CI), 46-76] years and 95% of the patients were women. Obesity was found in 40%, high blood pressure in 39%, dyslipidemia in 37%, diabetes mellitus in 10%, smoking in 7%, and cardiovascular disease in 6% of the patients. No significant differences were detected in TC or in LDL-c after treatment with levothyroxine. Nonsignificant reductions were found in TC (-4 mg/dl; p=0.77) and LDL-c (-10 mg/dl; p=0.31) when euthyroidism was achieved, as well as in TC (-10mg/dl; p=0.58) after 5+/-3 years of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Levothyroxine treatment in patients with SHT does not lead to substantial reductions in TC or LDL-c, independently of TSH concentrations prior to treatment.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app