Atherogenic Index of Plasma and Oxidised LDL in Overt Hypothyroidism in North Indian Female Population

Introduction: Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition characterized by reduced oxidative metabolism and it is characterised by markedly increased plasma levels of lipid and lipoprotein. There is insufficient data on lipid levels from India in patients with hypothyroid; only a few studies have been performed in north India. We used oxidised LDL and atherogenic index to better understand the risk for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in hypothyroidism. So this study has been done in hypothyroidism which represents an important risk factor for atherosclerosis. Aims and objectives: This study was done to study the association of blood lipids, oxidised LDL and atherogenic index of plasma between hypothyroid patients and control. Material and methods: In the present study 30 hypothyroid patients and 30 healthy controls with no evident disease were included after taking an informed consent. The study was done in the hormone laboratory of a tertiary care hospital of north India. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained and Serum Lipids were measured by standard automated enzymatic techniques. Oxidised LDL was assayed with ELISA technique. Serum TSH, free T4 (ft4) and free T3 (ft3) were assayed using chemiluminescence. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS for windows 14.0 software (SPSS Inc.,Chicago, IL, USA). Result and observation: Hypothyroid patients had statistically significant higher levels of TSH and low levels of ft3 and ft4. There was a statistically significant decrease in the levels of HDL. The change in the levels of the atherogenic index of plasma (log LogTG/HDL) was also significant statistically (p value 0.000). There was an increase in the levels of oxidised LDL in hypothyroid patients as compared to controls but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The atherogenic index of plasma is better correlated with hypothyroidism and hence it can be used for risk assesment of atherosclerosis in hypothyroid patients. To establish oxidised LDL as a marker further studies are needed