Cardiovascular risk factors in autoimmune thyroiditis: role of adiponectin, resistin, inflammation and auto-immunity - a cross-sectional study.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Unidade Local de Saúde São João, Porto, Portugal.
- 2Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- 3RISE-Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- 4Basic and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- 5Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Clinical Pathology, Unidade Local de Saúde São João, Porto, Portugal.
Abstract
Objective
Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) has been associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Whether adipokines, inflammation and auto-immunity contribute to this increased risk is uncertain. Our aim was to evaluate the interrelationships of adipokines, inflammation, auto-immunity, and thyroid function with cardiovascular risk in autoimmune thyroiditis.Methods
Sixty-two patients with AIT, with normal free T4 (FT4) and free T3 (FT3), without other comorbidities were studied. Patients were divided into two groups: AIT with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) ≤2.5 mU/L and AIT with TSH >2.5 mU/L. Parameters of thyroid function tests, serum lipid, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine levels, anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies, adiponectin and resistin were measured.Results
Patients with TSH >2.5 mU/L had significantly higher body mass index, higher low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, and lower lipoprotein(a) levels. No differences in triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), adiponectin, or resistin levels were observed between groups. In the overall cohort, adiponectin levels were positively correlated with high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), whereas resistin was positively correlated with hs-CRP and triglyceride levels. Hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with anti-thyroglobulin antibody titers, and homocysteine levels were negatively correlated with FT3. In the subgroup with TSH >2.5 mU/L, FT4 was positively correlated with ApoA1 and HDL-cholesterol and negatively correlated with lipoprotein(a), while resistin was positively correlated with TSH. In patients with TSH ≤2.5 mU/L, adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with TSH.Conclusion
Our study highlights a complex interrelationship between cardiovascular risk factors in patients with AIT. Patients with AIT and TSH >2.5 mU/L may have a more atherogenic lipid profile.
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BibTeX
@article{neves2026cardiovascular,
title = {{Cardiovascular risk factors in autoimmune thyroiditis: role of adiponectin, resistin, inflammation and auto-immunity - a cross-sectional study.}},
author = {Celestino Neves and João Sérgio Neves and Oksana Sokhatska and Luís Delgado},
journal = {Frontiers in endocrinology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fendo.2026.1865915},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898201},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Cardiovascular risk factors in autoimmune thyroiditis: role of adiponectin, resistin, inflammation and auto-immunity - a cross-sectional study.
AU - Celestino Neves
AU - João Sérgio Neves
AU - Oksana Sokhatska
AU - Luís Delgado
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Frontiers in endocrinology
DO - 10.3389/fendo.2026.1865915
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898201
AB - Objective Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) has been associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Whether adipokines, inflammation and auto-immunity contribute to this increased risk is uncertain. Our aim was to evaluate the interrelationships of adipokines, inflammation, auto-immunity, and thyroid function with cardiovascular risk in autoimmune thyroiditis.Methods Sixty-two patients with AIT, with normal free T4 (FT4) and free T3 (FT3), without other comorbidities were studied. Patients were divided into two groups: AIT with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) ≤2.5 mU/L and AIT with TSH >2.5 mU/L. Parameters of thyroid function tests, serum lipid, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine levels, anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies, adiponectin and resistin were measured.Results Patients with TSH >2.5 mU/L had significantly higher body mass index, higher low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, and lower lipoprotein(a) levels. No differences in triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), adiponectin, or resistin levels were observed between groups. In the overall cohort, adiponectin levels were positively correlated with high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), whereas resistin was positively correlated with hs-CRP and triglyceride levels. Hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with anti-thyroglobulin antibody titers, and homocysteine levels were negatively correlated with FT3. In the subgroup with TSH >2.5 mU/L, FT4 was positively correlated with ApoA1 and HDL-cholesterol and negatively correlated with lipoprotein(a), while resistin was positively correlated with TSH. In patients with TSH ≤2.5 mU/L, adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with TSH.Conclusion Our study highlights a complex interrelationship between cardiovascular risk factors in patients with AIT. Patients with AIT and TSH >2.5 mU/L may have a more atherogenic lipid profile.
SN - 1664-2392
ER -