Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Sub-clinical Hypothyroidism

BACKGROUND Adverse cardiovascular effect of hypothyroidism has been identified in many studies. Early identification of patients with sub-clinical hypothyroidism may lead to early treatment and thereby favourable effect on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES To find out the association of sub clinical hypothyroidism and left ventricular dysfunction and also to find out relationship between systolic and diastolic dysfunction in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total 30 cases of sub clinical hypothyroidism along with 15 age sex matched healthy control subjects were included in study. Serum TSH, T4, T3 hormone level was measured and those who were found to have sub-clinical hypothyroidism underwent for 2DEcho. RESULTS Significant reduction in peak early filling velocity (PE) (p<0.001) and early filling time velocity integral (Ei) (p<0.001). Ratio of early and late peak velocities (PE/PA) (p<0.001), ratio of time velocity integral of early and atrial filling (Ei/Ai) (p<0.001) and ratio of the early peak to average velocity (PE/M) (p<0.001) were also reduced. Mean EF was 54.9± 5.55 as compared to 55.7 ± 3.46 of control subjects with a T.value of 0.48 ,however there was significant diastolic dysfunction in case of hypothyroid patients (mean Ei/Ai = 1.35 ± 0.53) as compared to control group subjects (mean Ei/AI = 2.11 ± 0.26) with a T value of 5.22. CONCLUSION Sub-clinical hypothyroidism showed significant diastolic dysfunction in the absence of significant impairment of systolic function.