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The relationship between circulating TRAIL and endothelial dysfunction in subclinical hypothyroidism

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Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is associated with atherosclerosis. Subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT) is associated with the increased prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions and cardiovascular events. Therefore, we hypothesized that circulating TRAIL levels are associated with endothelial dysfunction in sHT patients. Two hundred and four patients with newly diagnosed sHT and 52 healthy subjects were recruited. Circulating TRAIL concentration was measured by an ELISA, and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of brachial artery was measured using high-resolution ultrasound. The mean value of circulating TRAIL in newly diagnosed sHT patients was 67.2 pg/ml, which was lower than that in controls (78.5 pg/ml, p < 0.001). By dividing the distribution of FMD levels into quartiles, TRAIL levels were increased gradually with the increase of FMD levels (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that serum TRAIL levels were independently associated with FMD (p = 0.007). By logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for lower FMD levels was reduced by 12.1 % per 1 pg/ml increase in serum TRAIL concentration after adjustment for multivariate metabolic factors [OR (95 % CI); 0.879 (0.721–0.973)]. Circulating TRAIL level decreased in newly diagnosed sHT patients and is positively associated with endothelial function, suggesting that circulating TRAIL level may be a protective marker of endothelial function in sHT patients.

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Abbreviations

TPO-Ab:

Antithyroid peroxidase antibody

Tg-Ab:

Antithyroglobulin antibody

BMI:

Body mass index

CRP:

C-reactive protein

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

FBG:

Fasting blood glucose

FMD:

Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation

HDL-C:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

LDL-C:

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

IMRA:

Immunoradiometric assay

RIA:

Radioimmunoassay

sHT:

Subclinical hypothyroidism

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

TC:

Total cholesterol

TG:

Triglyceride

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

TRAIL:

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand

UAER:

Urinary albumin excretion rate

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Acknowledgments

The program was supported by National Foundation of Natural Science (81370896) and Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (Nos. 2011CDA002 and 2009CDB427). Dr Guangda Xiang is the guarantor of the work, and as such, has full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuluo Road 627, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Guangda Xiang, Ling Yue, Junxia Zhang, Lin Xiang & Jing Dong

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  1. Guangda Xiang
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  2. Ling Yue
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  3. Junxia Zhang
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  4. Lin Xiang
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Correspondence to Guangda Xiang.

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Guangda Xiang and Ling Yue has equally contributed to this work.

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Xiang, G., Yue, L., Zhang, J. et al. The relationship between circulating TRAIL and endothelial dysfunction in subclinical hypothyroidism. Endocrine 49, 184–190 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-014-0443-3

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