Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia in the obesity population

Introduction: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined as the increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, with triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) values within the population reference range. The prevalence in patients with obesity varies between 10.5% and 25%. This has been related to alterations in serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). Objective: The objective of the study was to identify the association between SCH and dyslipidemia in patients with obesity. Materials and methods: A case-control study was carried out in 128 patients with obesity and SCH, assessed at the Clinic for Comprehensive Care of patients with Diabetes and Obesity (CAIDO) from 2015 to 2019. The Mantel-Haenszel Chi-Square Test was used to verify the association between SCH and dyslipidemias (hypertriglyceridemia, total hypercholesterolemia, LDL hypercholesterolemia, and HDL hypocholesterolemia). Odds ratio of the different dyslipidemias was calculated for the group of patients with SCH and obesity, using logistic regression models, adjusted for possible confounding factors (age, sex, and BMI). Results: Dyslipidemias were identified in 96.1% of the patients with SCH compared to 87.3% in relation to the control group (OR 3.56. 95% CI = 1.29-9.84, p = 0.01), the most frequent being HDL hypocholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion: The relationship between SCH and dyslipidemia has been analyzed with controversial results at an international level. In the Mexican population with obesity, SCH is deemed a risk factor for the development of dyslipidemia.