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Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein among adult Taiwanese

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Abstract

Subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is one of the inflammatory markers related to CVD. It is unclear whether inflammation is a mechanistic intermediary between SCH and CVD. We aimed to investigate the association between SCH and hsCRP in a Taiwanese population. A baseline cohort of 2,494 participants over the age of 19 was recruited in Taiwan from 2006 to 2008. SCH was defined as a serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level of 5.61–19.9 mIU/L with normal thyroxine concentrations (a total T4 level of 4.9–12.0 μg/dL). Euthyroidism was defined as a serum TSH level of 0.34–5.60 mIU/L. HsCPR was grouped using quartiles. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between hsCRP and SCH. After adjusting for gender and betel nut chewing, stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that hsCRP groups were significantly associated with SCH. Compared to the lowest hsCRP quartile, the adjusted odds ratio of having SCH for hsCRP quartile II, III, and IV were 1.38 (0.48–3.98), 1.48 (0.56–3.96), and 2.59 (1.01–6.67), respectively. The significant increase in odds ratios for SCH in progressive hsCRP quartiles reveals a dose–response effect (p < 0.05). Moreover, stepwise multiple linear regression analyses showed that hsCRP was significantly positively associated with serum TSH level after adjusting for potential confounders. Adult Taiwanese with SCH were associated with elevated hsCRP quartiles.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the staff and subjects who participated in this study. The study is supported by Grants from China Medical University Hospital (DMR-101-058) and from Taiwan Department of Health Clinical Trial and Research Center for Excellence (DOH102-TD-B-111-004).

Conflict of interest

We certify that all my affiliations with or financial involvement in, within the past 5 years and foreseeable future, any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript are completely disclosed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, 2, Yuh-Der Road, Taichung, 404, Taiwan

    Ya-Ting Yu, Chih-Te Ho, Hua-Shai Hsu, Chiu-Shong Liu, Cheng-Chieh Lin & Wen-Yuan Lin

  2. Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    Chuen-Ming Shih

  3. Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    Chia-Ing Li & Tsai-Chung Li

  4. School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Ya-Ting Yu, Chih-Te Ho, Chia-Ing Li, Chiu-Shong Liu, Cheng-Chieh Lin & Wen-Yuan Lin

  5. Graduate Institute of Biostatistics, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Tsai-Chung Li

  6. Institute of Health Care Administration, College of Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Tsai-Chung Li & Cheng-Chieh Lin

  7. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Utah, USA

    Lance E. Davidson

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  1. Ya-Ting Yu
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Correspondence to Wen-Yuan Lin.

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Ya-Ting Yu and Chih-Te Ho have contributed equally to this work and are to be considered as joint first authors.

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Yu, YT., Ho, CT., Hsu, HS. et al. Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein among adult Taiwanese. Endocrine 44, 716–722 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-9915-0

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