| Summary: | Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known to be severe and progress more rapidly in overt hypothyroidism. However, the role of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) as a risk factor for CAD is controversial. Our aim is to explore association, if any, existing between SH and the angiographic pattern and severity of CAD in women.
Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively studied 100 consecutive female patients with acute coronary syndrome who underwent coronary angiography. Baseline risk factor data and biochemical data were obtained from the hospital records. Patients with SH were compared with those without to assess differences in clinical characteristics and angiographic disease pattern.
Results: Of the 100 women, 50 had SH (58.64 ± 10.92 years), and 50 were euthyroid (58.44 ± 9.34 years). Unstable angina was the most common initial diagnosis (38 vs. 36, P = 0.6484). Hypertension was the most common risk factor among both groups (36 vs. 32, P = 0.3912). Angiographic profile revealed, only euthyroid women had left main stem disease (0 vs. 5, P = 0.0218). Both groups had equal incidence of single vessel disease (7 vs. 7, P = 1), insignificant CAD (6 vs. 6, P = 1) and angiographically normal coronaries (17 vs. 17, P = 1), SH group had greater incidence of multivessel disease (18 vs. 12, P = 0.1904). Left anterior descending was the most commonly involved coronary artery in both groups, (43 vs. 34, P = 0.3991). Segmental distribution pattern showed near similar disease pattern, with proximal segment being the most common in both groups (30 vs. 27, P = 0.9369).
Conclusions: As our study population was small and study had limitations, we cannot convincingly conclude that SH is not associated with the severity and angiographic disease pattern of the CAD.
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