Incidence of thyroid and cardiovascular diseases in menopausal females

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to estimate the incidence of thyroid dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases in perimenopausal females. The cross-sectional study covered 554 females (mean age 52.6±6.1 years). The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), the incidence of arterial hypertension (AH), coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, myocardial infarction, cerebral circulatory disorders, and the severity of menopausal syndrome (MS) were determined. The study detected euthyroldism in 381 (68.8%) patients, hypothyroidism in 168 (30.3%), out of them 35 (20.8%) patients having primary hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism in 5 (0.9%) females. Out of the 133 patients receiving L-thyroxine therapy, hypothyroidism was compensated. In 78(58.7%) cases, the dose of L-thyroxine was inadequate. The level of LDL was significantly higher in hypothyroidism; the median of TC was higher than the normal levels in both groups. There were no differences in the incidence of vascular disease between the groups. In both groups, AH was encountered In more than 60% of cases. The females with hypothyroidism had a more severe course of MS. With the adequate dose of L-thyroxine, the level of HDL was significantly higher and that of triglycerides and VLDL was lower than in hypothyroidism. It is expedient to include the measurement of TSH levels into the algorithm of examination of patients with severe MS.