Women with Subclinical Hypothyroidism are at Higher Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components Compared to Men in an Older Chinese Population

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study investigated the impact of sex differences on the relationship of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in an older Chinese population. Methods: The study included 1842 older Chinese individuals aged 65 years or older who received annual health checkups. The impact of sex differences on the relationship of SCH with the prevalence of MetS and its components was investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Interaction effect between sex and SCH on the prevalence of MetS and its components were evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression model which includes interaction terms (sex-SCH). Results: The study comprised 1701 (92.3%) individuals with euthyroidism and 141 (7.7%) with SCH. In men, SCH was not associated with MetS or any components of the MetS. In women, the SCH group had higher prevalence of MetS [odds ratio (OR), 1.870; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.136–3.079], abdominal obesity (OR, 1.693; 95% CI, 1.043–2.748), hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 1.711; 95% CI, 1.054–2.775) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR, 3.039; 95% CI, 1.576–5.861). There was an interaction between sex and SCH in terms of the effect on the prevalence of MetS and its components, including abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia (P < .01 for all), and with a trend for low HDL-C (P = .098). Conclusion: There were sex differences in the correlation of SCH with the prevalence of MetS and its components in the older Chinese population. An interaction effect between sex and SCH on the prevalence of MetS and its components was found.