Table I.
Characteristics at baseline of the study sample (n = 614), stratified by serum TSH tertiles and gender
| Variable | Men (n = 302) | Women (n = 312) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low tertile | Mid tertile | High tertile | P-value | Low tertile | Mid tertile | High tertile | P-value | ||
| 100 (0.70 mIU/l) | 103 (1.36 mIU/l) | 99 (2.56 mIU/l) | 103 (0.83 mIU/l) | 108 (1.76 mIU/l) | 101 (3.36 mIU/l) | ||||
| Age [years] | 614 | 55 ±9.3 | 56.3 ±9.8 | 59.3 ±11.1 | 0.001 | 59.2 ±10.9 | 56.8 ±9.3 | 57.2 ±10.7 | 0.021 |
| Free T3 [pg/ml] | 614 | 3.09 ±0.34 | 3.04 ±0.34 | 3.02 ±0.34 | 0.35 | 3.03 ±0.33 | 2.96 ±0.33 | 2.92 ±0.30 | 0.04 |
| Free T4 [ng/dl] | 614 | 0.85 ±0.14 | 0.85 ±0.15 | 0.86 ±0.16 | 0.91 | 0.90 ±0.14 | 0.84 ±0.14 | 0.83 ±0.17 | 0.007 |
| Body mass index [kg/m2] | 574 | 27.8 ±4.4 | 27.2 ±3.3 | 27.4 ±3.0 | 0.420 | 27.9 ±4.1 | 28 ±4.3 | 28.6 ±5.2 | 0.49 |
| Systolic BP [mm Hg] | 591 | 128.7 ±11 | 129.5 ±12 | 129 ±13 | 0.89 | 127.5 ±12 | 128.7 ±14 | 128 ±18 | 0.86 |
| Diastolic BP [mm Hg] | 591 | 81 ±7.4 | 81 ±7.6 | 81 ±7.6 | 0.84 | 80.5 ±7.8 | 81.7 ±8 | 81 ±10.4 | 0.63 |
| Total cholesterol [mg/dl] | 613 | 214 ±41 | 204 ±48 | 205 ±47 | 0.24 | 219 ±38 | 229 ±43 | 231 ±51 | 0.12 |
| HDL-cholesterol [mg/dl] | 612 | 47.4 ±11 | 46.2 ±9.4 | 46.3 ±9.5 | 0.66 | 56.8 ±12 | 55.6 ±11.7 | 57 ±11.5 | 0.66 |
| Fasting triglycerides [g/dl] | 614 | 174.5 *1.75¶ | 143.5 *1.66¶ | 150 *1.54¶ | 0.016 | 132.5 *1.58¶ | 137 *1.67¶ | 139 *1.58¶ | 0.77 |
| LDL-cholesterol [mg/dl] | 611 | 128 ±34 | 125 ±40 | 126 ±42 | 0.89 | 133 ±32 | 143 ±37.5 | 144 ±45 | 0.068 |
| HbA1c, % | 602 | 5.66 ±0.67 | 5.74 ±0.7 | 5.63 ±0.64 | 0.52 | 5.6 ±0.67 | 5.58 ±0.64 | 5.69 ±0.7 | 0.46 |
| Fasting glucose [mg/dl] | 614 | 102 ±18 | 105 ±19 | 103 ±0.24 | 0.66 | 102.6 ±22 | 102 ±21 | 104 ±26 | 0.81 |
| Creatinine [mg/dl] | 614 | 1.07 ±0.15 | 1.10 ±0.13 | 1.09 ±0.14 | 0.43 | 0.88 ±0.12 | 0.884 ±0.12 | 0.91 ±0.12 | 0.14 |
| Uric acid [mg/dl] | 529 | 6.05 ±1.23 | 6.08 ±1.4 | 5.91 ±1.47 | 0.67 | 4.42 ±1.07 | 4.49 ±1.37 | 4.85 ±1.35 | 0.06 |
| C-reactive protein [mg/l] | 393 | 1.72 ±3.64¶ | 1.71 ±3.68¶ | 1.97 ±2.63¶ | 0.72 | 1.82 *3.56¶ | 2.02 *3.41¶ | 3.05 *2.90¶ | 0.035 |
| Current smoking, n (%) | 614 | 19 (19.0) | 17 (16.5) | 13 (13.1) | 0.74 | 11.7 | 20.4 | 15.8 | 0.65 |
| Alcohol intake (%) | 614 | 17 | 17.5 | 13.1 | 0.80 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 9.9 | 0.40 |
| LV ejection fraction, % | 388 | 60 ±7.7 | 60.7 ±7.1 | 59.3 ±8.7 | 0.65 | 60.9 ±6.1 | 63.2 ±3.7 | 60.2 ±8.2 | 0.011 |
| Prevalent DM, n (%) | 614 | 24 (24.0) | 22 (21.4) | 16 (16.2) | 0.38 | 21 (20.4) | 22 (20.4) | 25 (24.5) | 0.68 |
| Compos. endpoint, n (%) | 614 | 34 (34) | 35 (34) | 37 (37.4) | 0.88 | 28 (27.2) | 32 (29.5) | 39 (38.6) | 0.18 |
¶
log-transformed values, SD range is obtained by dividing or multiplying with the given SD. BP – blood pressure, LV – left ventricle. Numbers in boldface denote significant difference from the other two tertiles.