Associations between cardiovascular health and low thyroid function among US adults: a population-based study

Abstract

Background: Higher thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) amidst normal thyroid hormone (TH) levels may contribute to a negative impact on cardiovascular health (CVH). We sought to probe the associations between Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a newly revised CVH evaluation, and low thyroid function among US adults.

Methods: The datasets from the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were applied to the study. Low-normal thyroid function and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) were both regarded to be low thyroid function. Multivariable logistic regressions were utilized to inquire about the relationship between LE8 and low thyroid function.

Results: Among the 6,315 participants (age ≥20 years), 1,375 (21.77%) were ascertained to be low thyroid function. After adjusting possible confounders, a higher LE8 score was linked to a lower probability of experiencing low thyroid function (Odds ratio [OR] for each 10-point increase: 0.923 [95% CI, 0.884-0.964]). A similar correlation was found between the health factors score and low thyroid function (OR for each 10-point increase: 0.905 [95% CI, 0.876-0.935]). Also, scoring better on physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), blood lipid, blood glucose (BG), and blood pressure (BP) may be conducive to reducing the rates of low thyroid function. Furthermore, subgroup and sensitivity analyses indicated that the negative correlations were generally robust.

Conclusions: The LE8 score and health factors score were nonlinearly and negatively related to the prevalence concerning low thyroid function. Promoting the regulation of optimum CVH levels could work on mitigating the load of low thyroid function and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Keywords: NHANES; cardiovascular health; cross-sectional study; life’s essential 8; low thyroid function.