Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Patients with Hypothyroidism

Abstract

The objective of the investigation was to determine the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with primary hypothyroidism. Having examined 133 patients with manifested hypothyroidism, we discovered that levels of vascular endothelial growth factor significantly increased in blood plasma of both obese and non-obese patients, but the highest indices have been found in patients with hypothyroidism resulting from autoimmune thyroiditis and with obesity. The obtained correlations indicate mutually aggravating effect of thyroid hypofunction, obesity and hypercholesterolemia on the development of endothelial dysfunction in patients with primary hypothyroidism, in particular on the increase of vascular endothelial growth factor levels.

Keywords

• hypothyroidism
• vascular endothelial growth factor
• thyroid stimulating hormone