Free triiodothyronine level correlates with statin responsiveness in acute myocardial infarction

[helvella]

Just possibly, low T3 is the underlying issue - rather than why statins have poor responsiveness in at least some patients.

J Geriatr Cardiol. 2018 Apr; 15(4): 290–297.

doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2018.04.009

PMCID: PMC5997620

Free triiodothyronine level correlates with statin responsiveness in acute myocardial infarction

Wen-Yao Wang,1,* Kuo Zhang,1,* Wei Zhao,2 A. Martin Gerdes,3 Giorgio Iervasi,4 and Yi-Da Tang1

Background

Although thyroid hormone (TH) has important effects on lipid metabolism, the relationship between TH and statin responsiveness has never been investigated. We hypothesize that TH plays an important role in statin responsiveness in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods

Consecutive 1091 hospitalized AMI patients in Fuwai hospital (Beijing, China) were enrolled into this current study. The study population was divided into three groups based on the intensity of statin treatment: low-intensity (n = 221), moderate-intensity (n = 712) and high-intensity (n = 158). Lipid levels were measured after statin therapy lasting for 10–14 days. The association between TH, lipid profile levels and achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering goals was explored in patients with AMI on statin therapy.

Results

By general linear analysis, a significant linear trend between free triiodothyronine (FT3) and LDL-C level (linear coefficient r = –0.082, P = 0.001) and FT3 and total cholesterol (TC) level (r = –0.105, P = 0.031) was observed in the moderate-intensity statin group. A more apparent linear trend was detected in the high-intensity statin group (for LDL-C: r = –0.113, P = 0.005; for TC: r = –0.172, P = 0.029, respectively). However, no significant correlation was observed in the low-intensity statin group. Compared with the low-FT3 group (defined as FT3 < 1.79 pg/mL), the OR (95% CI) for attaining a LDL-C < 3.0mmol/L was found to be 2.217 (1.001–4.839) in the higher FT3 group (> 2.95 pg/mL). The OR (95% CI) for attaining the more intensive goal (LDL-C < 1.8mmol/L) was 2.836 (1.014–5.182).

Conclusions

Our study reveals that variation in FT3 levels is related to the cholesterol-lowering responsiveness of statins in AMI patients. These findings suggest that low FT3 may be a factor responsible for lack of LDL-C goal attainment and patients' poor responsiveness to statin treatment.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction, Free triiodothyronine, Hypothyroid, Statin

Full paper freely available here:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[greygoose]

Well, if their high cholesterol is related to low thyroid, it's increasing the T3 that lower the cholesterol, not the statins.

[Justiina in reply to greygoose]

That's true if high cholesterol is down to slow cholesterol receptors not over production of cholesterol. First sounds more reasonable doesn't it, hypo slows one down. In that case cholesterol isn't taken by target cells , instead it pools in your blood leading to high values freaking out doctors. Common sense says it is not fixable by statins! Virtually impossible! Does lower your cholesterol production but target cells aren't still getting cholesterol to use it for important purposes. And that could be the reason why statins doesn't work, it does lower the production of cholesterol but doesn't fix the root cause which is cells aren't getting the needed cholesterol to keep us well and healthy.

But they have made a new drug from T3 to lower the cholesterol but I wonder how does it work if it's manufactured so it doesn't have all the abilities of T3 just the cholesterol part.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

I totally agree.

[penny]

I haven’t figured out why we would want low cholesterol and why ‘high’ cholesterol is thought ‘bad’. Maybe I’m stupid but I have read Dr. Kendrick’s books and read many scientific studies but still don’t understand what is bad about ‘high’ cholesterol. What is deemed ‘high’? Is this another TSH test scenario?

[greygoose in reply to penny]

There is nothing bad about high cholesterol, but drug companies are making a fortune out of scaring people into taking statins, by saying that high cholesterol causes heart attacks and strokes. And doctors believe them!

[Stourie]

Just before I was diagnosed hypothyroid my cholesterol was 14.85. I realy don't think that that can be healthy. I was initially put on levothyroxine and within about 6 months maybe less, my cholesterol came down to 4.6 The only change in my life was taking the levo. I do think that 4.6 must be healthier than 14.85. Jo xx