The association between longitudinal trends of thyroid hormones levels and incident hypertension in a euthyroid population.

Abstract

Thyroid hormones, including free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), have well-recognized effects on the cardiovascular system. However, the evidence is lacking regarding the relationship between repeated FT3, FT4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurements and incident hypertension. The aim of this cohort study was to examine how longitudinal trends of serum FT3, FT4, and TSH levels are related to the development of hypertension in a euthyroid population. A prospective study (n = 5926) was performed in Tianjin, China. Participants without a history of hypertension were followed up for ~4 years (median: 3 years). Hypertension was defined according to the criteria of JNC7. FT3, FT4, and TSH were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay methods. FT3, FT4, TSH, and blood pressure were assessed yearly during follow-up. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the relationships between baseline, means, and annual changes in FT3, FT4, TSH, and hypertension. The incidence rate of hypertension per 1000 person-years was 73. Compared with the lowest quartile, the multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios (95% confidence interval) for hypertension in the highest quartiles of changes in FT3, FT4, and TSH were 1.51 (1.23-1.84), 2.04 (1.67-2.48), and 1.20 (0.99-1.45), respectively. Similar relationships were observed between the means of FT3, FT4, TSH, and hypertension. However, we found no correlations between baseline FT3, FT4, TSH, and incident hypertension. The present study is the first to demonstrate that the annual changes and means, but not baseline FT3 and FT4 values are independently related to the risk of incident hypertension in the euthyroid general population.