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Relationship between total atrial conduction time and epicardial adipose tissue in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism
Yemlihan Ceylan1, Elif Eker21Department Of Cardiology, Faculty Of Medicine, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey2Department Of Internal Medicine, Faculty Of Medicine, Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey
INTRODUCTION: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels with normal free thyroxine (fT4) levels. It is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, necessitating regular monitoring of cardiovascular parameters.
This study investigates the relationship between total atrial conduction time (TACT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in patients diagnosed with SCH, aiming to identify potential cardiovascular risks.
METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University from January 2024 to January 2025. Fifty-four patients with SCH (TSH levels 5.0-10 µIU/mL, normal fT4) were compared to fifty-four healthy controls. Echocardiographic measurements, including EAT thickness and TACT, were obtained.
RESULTS: No significant differences were found between groups regarding age, gender, and various laboratory parameters (p>0.05). TSH levels were significantly higher in the patient group 7.39±1.29 µIU/mL compared to controls 2.33±0.93 µIU/mL, p<0.0001; EAT 6.74±0.96 mm vs. 4.73±0.41 mm, p<0.0001 and TACT 122±8.70 ms vs. 87.8±5.33 ms, p<0.0001 were also significantly elevated in SCH patients. A strong positive correlation was observed between EAT and TACT (r=0.895, p<0.0001) as well as between TSH and both EAT and TACT (r=0.701, p<0.0001 r=0.822, p<0.0001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: SCH patients exhibit significantly increased EAT and TACT levels compared to healthy controls, indicating a heightened risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The strong correlation between TSH, EAT, and TACT underscores the importance of monitoring TSH levels and suggests that proactive management of SCH may mitigate cardiovascular risks.
Manuscript Language: English