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Effect of Levothyroxine Therapy on the Lipid Profile of Patients With Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review.

Authors :
Nishat S
Mueka IN
Hassan MU
Pandey RK
Lwin BB
Vashishta A
Nassar ST
Source :
Cureus [Cureus] 2024 Jul 23; Vol. 16 (7), pp. e65218. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 23 (Print Publication: 2024).
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid, is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Deficiency or lack of thyroid hormone causes patients to have a slower metabolism, which may lead to secondary medical issues such as weight gain, fatigue, depression, and increased cardiovascular risk. This systematic review aims to explore the effect of levothyroxine therapy on the lipid profile of hypothyroid patients. Through a comprehensive search, 3096 articles were retrieved using keywords such as Hypothyroidism, Levothyroxine, Lipid, Dyslipidemia, and Cholesterol from PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) strategy was also leveraged to extensively search the PubMed database. Research articles that were published from the year 2020 until May 2024, including randomized control trials, observational studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, literature reviews, and case reports, were included in the research. Research papers published before 2020, written in languages other than English, and animal studies were excluded. The 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria were used in the design of the systematic review. Levothyroxine therapy is the treatment of choice in patients suffering from hypothyroidism, and based on our review, the treatment has a positive impact, leading to a significant decrease in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, and triglyceride values in hypothyroid patients. The research highlights the importance of starting timely levothyroxine therapy in hypothyroid patients to maintain normal lipid levels and reduce the associated cardiovascular risk.<br />Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.<br /> (Copyright © 2024, Nishat et al.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2168-8184
Volume :
16
Issue :
7
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Cureus
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
39184762
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.65218