Thyroid hormone patterns in elderly patients undergoing elective coronary procedures.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Thyroid dysfunction is common in the elderly. We sought to explore thyroid hormone patterns in a series of elderly patients undergoing elective coronary procedures and their relation to the extent of coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 81 consecutive elderly patients admitted to undergo elective diagnostic or interventional coronary procedures. Samples were collected for assay of free thyroxin, free tri-iodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone, anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies. According to the number of coronary arteries affected by significant stenosis (> or = 70% luminal obstruction), we classified patients into a group with insignificant coronary disease, another with single vessel disease, and a third group with multi-vessel disease. RESULTS Forty one (50.6%) patients were euthyroid, two patients (2.5%) had subclinical hypothyroidism, and 12 (14.8%) had clinical hypothyroidism. Yet, neither subclinical nor clinical hypothyroidism was statistically different among the 3 groups, (p > 0.05 for both). Additionally, 3 patients (3.7%) had subclinical, and 2 (2.5%) had clinical hyperthyroidism. Finally, 21 patients (25.9%) had sick euthyroid syndrome. Again, all were statistically similar between the study groups, (p > 0.5 for all). Similarly, both anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies were statistically similar among the 3 groups (p > 0.05 for both). CONCLUSION Thyroid hormone disturbances are quite frequent in elderly patients undergoing elective coronary procedures, chiefly in the form of a hypothyroid state. These data do not support that thyroid hormone patterns relate to the extent of coronary artery disease in the elderly.