Relationship between carotid arteries atherosclerosis and subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid arteries atherosclersis and subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods From January to December 2010,408 patients with T2DM were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into euthyroidism group (376 patients) and subclinical hypothyroidism group (32 patients).The incidence of carotid arteries atherosclerosis in two groups was compared and the risk factors were analyzed by Logistic regression analysis in patients with T2DM.Results There was no significant difference in age,course of disease,body mass index,fasting plasma glucose,total cholesterol,high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),low density lipoprotein cholesterol,triacylglycerol and glycosylated hemoglobin between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of carotid arteries atherosclerosis in subclinical hypothyroidism group was higher than that in euthyroidism group [81.2％ (26/32) vs.61.4％ (231/376)],and the difference was significant (P =0.026).Logistic regression analysis showed that age and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)were risk factors (OR =1.178 and 1.227,P =0.000 and 0.019) and HDL-C was protective factor (OR =0.284,P =0.003) in T2DM with carotid arteries atherosclerosis.Conclusion Higher incidence of carotid arteries atherosclerosis is found in T2DM patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and increased TSH are independent risk factors that has not previously been described. Key words: Diabetes mellitus,type 2;  Hypothyroidism;  Carotid artery diseases