Exploring hypothyroidism’s effects on lipid profiles: Evidence of metabolic consequences in subclinical disease

Haifa M. Alnahdi

doi:10.15537/smj.2025.46.5.20241147

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Figure 1
- Correlation of free thyroxine with triglycerides in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. FT4: free thyroxine, TG: triglyceride.

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Table 1

- Characteristics of the patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (N=137).

Parameters	Subclinical hypothyroidism patients
Age (years)	44.6±13.6
Gender
Female	118 (6.2)
Male	19 (1.0)
BMI	30±6.2
Underweight	1 (0.73)
Normal	32 (23.4)
Overweight	36 (26.3)
Obese	68 (49.6)
SBP (mmHg)	125.8±17
DBP (mm/Hg)	75±11.2
TSH (uIU/mL)	7.12±2.17
FT3 (pmol/L)	4.23±0.71
FT4 (pmol/L)	15.9±2.37
Creatinine (µmol/L)	63.9±17.9
Dyslipidemia	127 (92.7)
Hypercholesterolemia	51 (37.2)
Increased LDL	102 (95.2)
Reduced HDL	88 (82.2)
Hypertriglyceridemia	32 (29.9)
Cholesterol (mmol/L)	4.82±1.01
LDL (mmol/L)	3.2±0.95
HDL (mmol/L)	1.4±0.53
Triglycerides(mmol/L)	1.37±0.67

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD) or numbers and percentages (%). BMI: body mass index, SBP: systolic blood pressure, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone, FT3: free triiodothyronine, FT4: free thyroxine, LDL: low-density lipoprotein, HDL: high-density lipoprotein

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Table 2

- Thyroid profile according to the gender, body mass index grade, and dyslipidemia in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (N=137).

Parameters	Subclinical hypothyroidism
Parameters	TSH (uIU/mL)	FT3 (pmol/L)	FT4 (pmol/L)
Gender
Female (n=118)	7.15±2.26	4.17±0.67	15.84±2.38
Male (n=19)	6.88±1.55	4.61±0.81	16.52±2.28
P-values	0.52	0.24	0.035^*
BMI
Underweight (n=1)	5.96	5	16.43
Normal (n=32)	6.83±2.01	4.13±0.72	16.1±2.1
Overweight (n=36)	7.31±1.63	4.59±0.64	15.8±2.2
Obese (n=68)	7.17±2.5	4.1±0.68	15.92±2.6
P-values	0.76	0.003^*	0.96
Lipid profile
Cholesterol
Normal (n=86)	6.82±1.66	4.17±0.7	15.98±2.5
High (n=51)	7.62±2.78	4.34±0.71	15.85±2.14
P-values	0.07	0.18	0.75
LDL
Normal (n=35)	6.74±1.56	4.14±0.85	16.24±2.26
High (n=102)	7.25±2.34	4.27±0.65	15.82±2.4
P-values	0.15	0.36	0.4
HDL
Normal (n=49)	7.26±2.75	4.14±0.75	15.49±2.13
Low (n=88)	7.04±1.79	4.28±0.68	16.18±2.46
P-values	0.61	0.28	0.09
Triglycerides
Normal (n=105)	7.18±2.25	4.26±0.69	16.2±2.45
High (n=32)	6.91±1.9	4.14±0.76	15.05±1.83
P-values	0.51	0.42	0.005^*

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD).

↵* Significant at a p-value of <0.05. TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone, FT3: free triiodothyronine, FT4: free thyroxine, BMI: body mass index, LDL: low-density lipoprotein, HDL: high-density lipoprotein

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Table 3

- Correlation of the thyroid profile hormones with age, body mass index, blood pressure, serum creatinine, and lipid profile in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (N=137).

Parameters	Subclinical hypothyroidism
	TSH (uIU/mL)	FT3 (pmol/L)	FT4 (pmol/L)
	r (p-values)
Age (years)	0.07 (0.4)	-0.23 (0.008)^*	-0.03 (0.75)
BMI	1.01 (0.9)	-0.2 (0.019)^*	-0.07 (0.43)
SBP (mmHg)	-0.17 (0.04)*	0.01 (0.87)	-0.02 (0.8)
DBP (mmHg)	-0.18 (0.04)^*	0.14 (0.1)	0.07 (0.41)
Cr (µmol/L)	0.27 (0.001)^*	0.15 (0.09)	0.05 (0.58)
Chol. (mmol/L)	0.15 (0.09)	0.14 (0.11)	-0.02 (0.78)
LDL (mmol/L)	0.14 (0.1)	0.1 (0.26)	-0.09 (0.3)
HDL (mmol/L)	0.05 (0.6)	-0.07 (0.46)	-0.17 (0.06)
TG (mmol/L)	-0.01 (0.92)	-0.002 (0.99)	-0.2 (0.02)^*

TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone, FT3: free triiodothyronine, FT4: free thyroxine, BMI: body mass index, SBP: systolic blood pressure, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, Cr: creatinine, Chol: cholesterol, LDL: low-density lipoprotein, HDL: high-density lipoprotein, TG: triglyceride