Affiliations: [a] Istanbul Atlas University, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medicine Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey
| [b] Adiyaman University, School of Medicine, Education and Research Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Adıyaman, Turkey
| [c] Balıkesir Sevgi Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Balıkesir, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Mustafa Yurtdaş, Istanbul Atlas University, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medicine
Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: mustafayurtdas21@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Inflammation has an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) is accepted as an indicator of inflammation. OBJECTIVE:Our aim was to scrutinize the relationship between LMR and subclinical atherosclerosis (SubAth) measured by carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in subclinical hypothyroidism (SubHT). METHODS:Newly identified 190 SubHT patients were prospectively included into the study. Blood samples were taken for measuring laboratory parameters. Then, CIMT was computed. Patients were seperated into 2 groups by their CIMT value (Group-1: ≤0.9 and Group-2: >0.9 mm), and then stratified into tertiles pursuant to LMR and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, respectively. RESULTS:59 patients had an increased CIMT value (Group-2), and 131 patients had a normal CIMT value (Group-1). Group-2 had a lower LMR and a greater high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), CIMT and TSH than Group-1 (for all, p < 0.05). Patients in the lowest tertile of LMR had a higher hsCRP, TSH and CIMT than those in the highest tertile (for all, p < 0.05). LMR was negatively associated with hsCRP, CIMT and TSH (for all, p < 0.05). LMR and TSH were independent predictors of increased CIMT. CONCLUSIONS:Pre-ultrasonographic LMR, which is a simple and inexpensive inflammatory marker, may give additional predictive information to determine SubAth in SubHT.
