Abstract:
Background: In patients with arterial hypertension (AH), the presence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) worsens the course of AH and leads to the new cardiovascular diseases (CVD) development. Therefore, search for early CVD predictors is especially important for patients with AH and SH. Premature aging is closely related to the CVD emergence and biological age (BA) can be used as indicator.
Purpose: The aim of our study was to evaluate changes in anthropometric indicators and carbohydrate, lipid profile in patients with AH and SH and to evaluate the relationship of these parameters with BA.
Materials and methods: Our study included 76 patients with the mean age 46,0±22,0 years (59% women, 41% men) divided into two groups: the 1st control group, that included patients without AH and SH (n=24), the 2nd one (comparison) included patients with AH and SH (n=52). Patients with a diagnosis of diabetes or coronary artery disease were excluded. Anthropometric parameters, fasting glucose levels and lipid profile indicators were determined and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all patients. BA was calculated using patient’s weight, blood pressure, the duration of balancing on the left leg and breath holding.
Results: Significant differences were revealed between the two groups in the level of fasting glucose (p=0.002), triglycerides (TG) (p=0.049), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) (p=0.049), waist circumference (WC) (p=0.000), BMI (p=0.000), BA (p=0.000). In control group, a significant correlation with BA was detected only for low density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.554, p=0.01). In patients with AH and SH, glucose (r=0.326, p=0.01), TG (r=0.533, p=0.01), VLDL-C (r=0.532, p=0.01), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (r=-0.406, p=0.01) were found to be significantly correlated with BA. Therefore, BA reflects the risk of CVD developing. BA in the 2nd group also correlated with WC (r=0.581, p=0.01), hip circumference (r=0.461, p=0.01), BMI (r=0.540, p=0.01), the increased values of which are independent cardiovascular risk factors (CVR). Chronological age (CA) in patients with AH and SH had a significant correlation only with fasting glucose (r=0.349, p=0.01) and also positive with HDL-C (r=0.277, p=0.01). These data indicate that BA has a greater prognostic value as a predictor of CVD compared to CA. The association of BA with the given indicators makes the measurement of BA more sensitive for CVR predicting in patients with AH and SH compared to controls.
Conclusions: The study results confirm that BA calculated using patient’s weight, blood pressure, the duration of balancing on the left leg and breath holding is associated with such CVR factors as impaired lipid, carbohydrate profile and obesity development in patients with AH and SH. That is why it is a simple, fast and reliable indicator of increased CVR in this category of patients on an outpatient basis.
