Subclinical Hypothyroidism may be Associated with Elevated High-sensitive C-Reactive Protein (Low Grade Inflammation) and Fasting Hyperinsulinemia

The ssociation between coronary heart disease and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is unclear. We aimed to determine hs-CRP concentrations in patients with SCH. Seventy-seven patients (age 34.6 ± 13.7 yr) with SCH (TSH >4.2 μIU/ml and serum free thyroxine level between 0.932–1.71 ng/dL), and 80 control subjects (age 33.9 ± 13.3 yr) were studied. Thyroid hormones, C-reactive protein, insulin, glucose, total, HDL, LDL and VLDL-cholesterol levels and HOMA-IR index were also determined. TSH levels of SCH group were higher than control (7.4 ± 2.9 and 1.55 ± 0.78 μIU/ml, respectively, p = 0.0001). However, FT4 levels were lower than control subjects (1.18 ± 0.22 ng/dL and 1.38 ± 0.26, respectively, p = 0.001). Serum hs-CRP levels of subjects with SCH were higher than control subjects (4.2 ± 0.8 mg/l and 1.05 ± 0.3 mg/l respectively, p = 0.0001). Insulin levels of SCH group were higher than control (8.5 ± 4.3 μU/ml and 7.1 ± 3.1 μU/ml respectively, p