serum c-reactive protein levels about insulin resistance and beta cell function in iranian women with subclinical hypothyroidism

Background objective: subclinical hypothyroidism (sch), is defined as an asymptomatic state characterized by a normal serum concentration of free thyroxine and elevated serum concentration of tsh. this study aims to investigate the complex interplay between hyperinsulinism, insulin resistance, beta cell function, and low-grade chronic inflammation in iranian women with sch.methods: eighty women with sch and 80 healthy women as controls matched to the patient group for sex, age, and body mass index (bmi), were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. tsh, free t3, free t4, highly sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-crp), fasting insulin, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, hdl-cholesterol, ldl-cholesterol, triglyceride, homa-ir index, beta cell function (homa-b index) and insulin sensitivity were determined.results: hs-crp was not statistically different between the sch patients and the control group (3.7±3.2 vs 3.6±4.0, p>0.05). total cholesterol and ldl-cholesterol were significantly higher; however, triglyceride and hdl-cholesterol were not statistically different in patients with sch as compared with the control group. fasting insulin levels and homa-ir and beta cell function (homa-b) were significantly higher in sch women compared to the control group. a positive correlation between homa-ir and homa-b with tsh levels was found (r=0.324, r=0.191, p<0.05 respectively). a positive correlation between insulin levels and hs-crp (r=0.22, p<0.05), also between insulin levels and tsh (r=0.312, p<0.05) and ldl- ldl-cholesterol was obtained (r=0.27, p<0.05).conclusion:  iranian women with sch may exhibit elevated atherogenic parameters (hyperinsulinemia, ldl-cholesterol, and total cholesterol), homa-ir, and homa-b.