Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol and other serum lipids were evaluated in 45 patients with hyperthyroid and 5 patients with hypothyroid and compared with 21 sex- and age-matched controls.
Total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C were reduced in hyperthyroid as compared with normal controls. 8 patients were restudied after restoration of euthyroid and showed significant increase in serum lipids.
Total cholesterol and LDL-C were increased in hypothyroid but HDL-C was reduced as compared with normal. After T4 replacement therapy total cholesterol and LDL-C were normalized rapidly, but HDL-C was increased gradually. Atherogenic index was higher in patients with hypothyroid. This finding seems to enhance the risk of coronary atherosclerosis.
Total cholesterol and LDL-C showed inverse relation to changes of T4. However no clear correlation was found in HDL-C.
