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Blood pressure in relation to serum thyrotropin: the Tromsø study

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Abstract

It appears to be an association between hypothyroidism and hypertension. However, the relation between thyroid function and blood pressure within the normal serum thyrotropin (TSH) range is uncertain. In the fifth Tromsø study, which is a population-based health survey, serum TSH and blood pressure were measured. This gave us the opportunity to test the hypothesis of a relation between serum TSH and blood pressure within the normal serum TSH range. In all 5872 subjects (2623 male subjects) not using blood pressure or thyroxine medication were included in the present study. Within the normal serum TSH range (0.20–4.00 mIU/l), there was a significant and positive relation between serum TSH and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Within this range, and adjusted for age, body mass index and smoking status, the systolic blood pressure was 1.4 mm Hg and the diastolic 1.6 mm Hg higher in male subjects in the highest versus those in the lowest serum TSH quartile. The corresponding differences in the female subjects were 4.0 and 2.7 mm Hg, respectively. When dividing this cohort in those with systolic (>160 mm Hg) and diastolic (>95 mm Hg) hypertension, serum TSH was higher in the hypertensive subjects, but the differences were only statistically significant for diastolic hypertension (serum TSH 1.88±0.82 versus 1.69±0.74 mIU/l for male subjects, and 1.79±0.78 versus 1.63±0.75 mIU/l for female subjects, P<0.05). In conclusion, there is a modest, but significant positive association between serum TSH and blood pressure within the normal serum TSH range.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been financed with the aid of EXTRA funds from the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation and by a grant from the Norwegian Research Council. The superb assistance by Inger Myrnes and Astrid Lindvall at the Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital of North Norway is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    A Iqbal

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Y Figenschau

  3. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

    R Jorde

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  1. A Iqbal
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  2. Y Figenschau
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  3. R Jorde
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Correspondence to A Iqbal.

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Iqbal, A., Figenschau, Y. & Jorde, R. Blood pressure in relation to serum thyrotropin: the Tromsø study. J Hum Hypertens 20, 932–936 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002091

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002091

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