Thyroid function within the normal range and risk of coronary heart disease: an individual participant data analysis of 14 cohorts
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BORIS DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
25893284
Description
IMPORTANCE
Some experts suggest that serum thyrotropin levels in the upper part of the current reference range should be considered abnormal, an approach that would reclassify many individuals as having mild hypothyroidism. Health hazards associated with such thyrotropin levels are poorly documented, but conflicting evidence suggests that thyrotropin levels in the upper part of the reference range may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between differences in thyroid function within the reference range and CHD risk.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Individual participant data analysis of 14 cohorts with baseline examinations between July 1972 and April 2002 and with median follow-up ranging from 3.3 to 20.0 years. Participants included 55,412 individuals with serum thyrotropin levels of 0.45 to 4.49 mIU/L and no previously known thyroid or cardiovascular disease at baseline.
EXPOSURES
Thyroid function as expressed by serum thyrotropin levels at baseline.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Hazard ratios (HRs) of CHD mortality and CHD events according to thyrotropin levels after adjustment for age, sex, and smoking status.
RESULTS
Among 55,412 individuals, 1813 people (3.3%) died of CHD during 643,183 person-years of follow-up. In 10 cohorts with information on both nonfatal and fatal CHD events, 4666 of 48,875 individuals (9.5%) experienced a first-time CHD event during 533,408 person-years of follow-up. For each 1-mIU/L higher thyrotropin level, the HR was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.90-1.04) for CHD mortality and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.97-1.03) for a first-time CHD event. Similarly, in analyses by categories of thyrotropin, the HRs of CHD mortality (0.94 [95% CI, 0.74-1.20]) and CHD events (0.97 [95% CI, 0.83-1.13]) were similar among participants with the highest (3.50-4.49 mIU/L) compared with the lowest (0.45-1.49 mIU/L) thyrotropin levels. Subgroup analyses by sex and age group yielded similar results.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Thyrotropin levels within the reference range are not associated with risk of CHD events or CHD mortality. This finding suggests that differences in thyroid function within the population reference range do not influence the risk of CHD. Increased CHD risk does not appear to be a reason for lowering the upper thyrotropin reference limit.
Some experts suggest that serum thyrotropin levels in the upper part of the current reference range should be considered abnormal, an approach that would reclassify many individuals as having mild hypothyroidism. Health hazards associated with such thyrotropin levels are poorly documented, but conflicting evidence suggests that thyrotropin levels in the upper part of the reference range may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between differences in thyroid function within the reference range and CHD risk.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Individual participant data analysis of 14 cohorts with baseline examinations between July 1972 and April 2002 and with median follow-up ranging from 3.3 to 20.0 years. Participants included 55,412 individuals with serum thyrotropin levels of 0.45 to 4.49 mIU/L and no previously known thyroid or cardiovascular disease at baseline.
EXPOSURES
Thyroid function as expressed by serum thyrotropin levels at baseline.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Hazard ratios (HRs) of CHD mortality and CHD events according to thyrotropin levels after adjustment for age, sex, and smoking status.
RESULTS
Among 55,412 individuals, 1813 people (3.3%) died of CHD during 643,183 person-years of follow-up. In 10 cohorts with information on both nonfatal and fatal CHD events, 4666 of 48,875 individuals (9.5%) experienced a first-time CHD event during 533,408 person-years of follow-up. For each 1-mIU/L higher thyrotropin level, the HR was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.90-1.04) for CHD mortality and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.97-1.03) for a first-time CHD event. Similarly, in analyses by categories of thyrotropin, the HRs of CHD mortality (0.94 [95% CI, 0.74-1.20]) and CHD events (0.97 [95% CI, 0.83-1.13]) were similar among participants with the highest (3.50-4.49 mIU/L) compared with the lowest (0.45-1.49 mIU/L) thyrotropin levels. Subgroup analyses by sex and age group yielded similar results.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Thyrotropin levels within the reference range are not associated with risk of CHD events or CHD mortality. This finding suggests that differences in thyroid function within the population reference range do not influence the risk of CHD. Increased CHD risk does not appear to be a reason for lowering the upper thyrotropin reference limit.
Date of Publication
2015-06
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Contributor(s)
Åsvold, Bjørn O | |
Vatten, Lars J | |
Bjøro, Trine | |
Bauer, Douglas C | |
Bremner, Alexandra | |
Cappola, Anne R | |
Ceresini, Graziano | |
den Elzen, Wendy P J | |
Ferrucci, Luigi | |
Franco, Oscar H | |
Franklyn, Jayne A | |
Gussekloo, Jacobijn | |
Iervasi, Giorgio | |
Imaizumi, Misa | |
Kearney, Patricia M | |
Khaw, Kay-Tee | |
Maciel, Rui M B | |
Newman, Anne B | |
Peeters, Robin P | |
Psaty, Bruce M | |
Razvi, Salman | |
Sgarbi, José A | |
Stott, David J | |
Trompet, Stella | |
Vanderpump, Mark P J | |
Völzke, Henry | |
Walsh, John P | |
Westendorp, Rudi G J |
Additional Credits
Series
JAMA Internal Medicine
Publisher
American Medical Association
ISSN
2168-6114
Access(Rights)
restricted