Homocysteine and fibrinogen changes with L-thyroxine in subclinical hypothyroid patients

The aim of the present study was to evaluate plasma total homocysteine (Hcys) and serum fibrinogen concentrations in subclinical hypothyroid (SH) and overt hypothyroid patients before and after L-thyroxine (LT4) replacement and to compare them in euthyroid subjects. Fifteen SH and 20 hypothyroid premenopausal women were recruited in the study. We measured fasting plasma levels of Hcys and serum levels of free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), thyrotropin (TSH), folate, vitamin B12, fibrinogen, renal functions, and lipid profiles in patients with SH and overt hypothyroid patients before and after LT4 treatment. Eleven healthy women were included in the study as a control group. Pretreatment Hcys levels were similar in SH and control subjects, whereas mean fibrinogen level of SH patients was higher than that of control subjects (p<0.05). Baseline Hcys (p<0.01) and fibrinogen (p<0.001) levels of the overt hypothyroid patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy subjects, and the pretreatment Hcys levels decreased with LT4 treatment (p<0.001). In conclusion, our data support that SH is not associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and Hcys does not appear to contribute to the increased risk for atherosclerotic disease in patients with SH.