Prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Hyperlipidemic Subjects Referred to a Biochemistry Department

Authors: Metin YILDIRIMKAYA, N. Kemal NAZAROĞLU, Ali ŞENGÜL, Yavuz NARİN, Türker KUTLUAY, Levent KARACA

Abstract: Hypothyroidism is commonly associated with hyperlipidemia. This observation was carried out as a prospective study aimed at determining the prevalence of hypothyroidism in 150 males and 150 females ostensibly healthy hyperlipidemic subjects referred to our Biochemistry Department. Serum thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) were measured in subjects over forty years of age whose cholesterol levels were 240 mg/dl. Thirty-two patients (10.6%) had subclinical hypothyroidism and 8 patients (2.6%) had clinical hypothyroidism. The prevalence of subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism increased to 16.2 % and 7.5 %, respectively in patients with mixt hyperlipidemia. Increased TSH levels were more common in women (16.6%) than in men (10%). Analysis of lipid paremeters showed no significant differences between the groups except triglyceride levels which were signficantly increased in patints with clinical hypothyroidism. 0ur data suggest that thyroid hormon analysis should be performed routinely on any patient, with hypercholesterolemia over forty years of age especially in the group of mixt hyperlipidemia.

Keywords: Hypothyroidism, prevalence, hyperlipidemia.