ObjectiveTo observe the changes of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, and discuss the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and arterial stiffness. MethodSeventy-three patients with subclinical hypothyroidism who were not treated before were divided into two groups according to thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level between January 2013 and June 2014. There were 35 patients in group A (4 mU/L < TSH < 10 mU/L) and 38 in group B (TSH ≥ 10 mU/L). Another 30 healthy individuals were selected as controls. Hcy and baPWV were determined in all subjects. ResultsCompared with the controls, patients had significantly higher level of TSH, Hcy and baPWV in group A, and had significantly higher TSH, triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)-C, Hcy, and baPWV in group B (P<0.05). Compared with group A, TSH, TG, LDL-C, Hcy, and baPWV in group B patiens were significantly higher (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that Hcy was positively correlated with TSH (r=0.353, P<0.01) and baPWV was positively correlated with TSH (r=0.416, P<0.01). ConclusionsHcy level and peripheric arterial stiffness increase in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Both of them are correlated positively with TSH.
Early detection of vascular function plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This paper reports the main studies of the effectiveness of fingertip temperature curve in digital thermal monitoring (DTM) for predicting CVDs, as well as the relationship between parameters from DTM and pulse wave velocity (PWV) detection. A total of 112 subjects [age (42.18±12.28) years, 50% male, 37 with known CVDs] underwent DTM and PWV detection. Results showed that most of parameters related to CVDs were from the declining stage of the digital thermal signal. Binary Logistic regression models were built, and the best one was chosen by ten-fold validation to predict CVDs. Consistency was great between the detection result of PWV and that of the Logistic model of DTM parameters. Parameters from DTM also contained information for early detecting of vascular stiffness. This study indicates that the fingertip temperature curve in DTM has a potential application for predication of CVDs, and it would be used to access vascular function in the initial stage of CVDs.