The Relationship Between Homocysteine and Autoimmune Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Abstract

Objectives: The present study was to correlate the association of homocysteine level with various profile of autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism patients. Methods: A 40 subclinical hypothyroidism patients and 40 healthy control subjects were enrolled. The relevant laboratory parameters of patients who had been diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in the clinic and were in follow-up, and whose homocysteine level had been tested in addition to assessment of thyroid function, thyroid autoantibodies, lipid parameters, thyroid ultrasonography, and hs-CRP were recorded. Patients with a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level above the normal range but with a free thyroxin (fT4) level within the normal range were considered to have subclinical hypothyroidism. Results: Mean TSH level of case and control group subjects were 6.71±1.23 and 2.11±o.34 µIU/mL respectively. Which is extremely significant (p<0.0001). Mean FT4 (ng/dL) level of case and control group subjects were 1.3±0.38 and 1.4±0.43 ng/dL respectively. Which is not significant differences(p=0.273). Anti-Tg level of case and control group subjects were 221.6±06.65 and 12.2±04.24 IU/mL) respectively. Which is extremely significant (p<0.0001). There was significant higher anti-Tg level in subclinical hypothyroidism patients as compared to control subjects. Similarly, anti-TPO level of subclinical hypothyroidism (165.8±05.17) patients were extremely significant (p <0.0001) as compared to control (6.7±02.65) subjects. Homocysteine was significantly associated with TSH level (p=0.028), FT4 level (p=0.017), anti-TPO level (p=0.000), anti-Tg (p=0.024) and Hs-CRP level (p=0.011) in subclinical hypothyroidism patients. Conclusions: Increased level of homocysteine is an independent factors for the diagnosis of autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism. Key words: Autoimmune Subclinical Hypothyroidism, Homocysteine, TSH level.