Association between Thyroid Stimulating Hormone with Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Introduction: Metabolic Syndrome (MS) identifies a group of metabolic disorders that includes glucose intolerance, central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia that place the affected individual at exaggerated risk for developing disorder, in addition as exaggerated mortality from all causes. Aim: To evaluate serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels and to determine the correlation between serum concentrations of TSH with components of MS among postmenopausal women with MS. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted for the period of four months on 100 postmenopausal women between 45-65 years who attended Outpatient Department (OPD) of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Mandya, Karnataka, India. A fasting blood sample was collected from all the subjects, serum was used for estimating Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), Lipid profile, and Serum TSH. Results were presented on Mean±SD (Standard Deviation) (Min-Max) and in Number (%). For the comparison of means, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used. Correlation was examined by determining Pearson correlation coefficient (r-value). A p-value <0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: Among the study population, the dysfunction in thyroid gland was found in 35 (35%). The major thyroid dysfunction was found to be hypothyroidism (32%) and only three had hyperthyroidism (3%). Waist Circumference (WC), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) were 98.2±12 cm, 128.84±13.65 mmHg and 79.2±9.2 mmHg, respectively. Fasting Blood Glucose (FBS), Triglyceride (TAG), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C) and TSH were 166.7±71 mg/dL, 125.94±90.67mg/ dL, 45.46± 13.13 mg/dL and 3.35±2.01 mIU/L, respectively. Statistically significant positive correlation was observed between FPG (p=0.049) and both SBP (p=0.0008) and DBP (p=0.001) and negative correlation was observed between TAG, HDL and TSH but not statistically significant in women with hypothyroidism when compared to euthyroid. A statistically negative correlation was found with WC (p=0.001) and positive correlation was found with TAG (p=0.008) and TSH among women with euthyroid condition. Conclusion: Hypothyroidism alters lipid levels and increases blood pressure leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Together hypothyroidism and metabolic syndrome could increase the risk for CVD in postmenopausal women. Thus, assessing thyroid function in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome may aid in early detection of CVD risk and better clinical management among these patients and reduces the already existing high incidence of CVDs.

Keywords

• cardiovascular disease
• dyslipidaemia
• hypothyroidism
• thyroid dysfunction