Is low iodine a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Americans without thyroid dysfunction? Findings from NHANES

Abstract Background and Aims Low body iodine levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, in part through alterations in thyroid function. While this associations suggested from animal studies, it lacks supportive evidence in humans. This study examined the association between urine iodine levels and presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke in adults without thyroid dysfunction. Methods and Results This cross-sectional study included 2,440 adults (representing a weighted n=91,713,183) aged ≥40 years without thyroid dysfunction in the nationally-representative 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The age and sex-adjusted urine iodine/creatinine ratio (aICR) was categorized into low (aICR