Conclusion: 138
Status: accepted_poster
Headline Title: Heart Failure
Headline Title:Heart Failure and Subclinical Hypothyroidism: The Role of Levothyroxine Therapy - An Updated Review
Authors: (Dr Erfan Sabouri - corresponding-author) (Dr Sadra Behrouzieh - author) (Dr Nima Rezaei - author)
Introduction:
Heart Failure (HF) is the inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood, primarily due to myocardial infarction, hypertension, or valvular heart disease. Given that thyroid hormones play an essential role in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis, hypothyroidism is also a contributor to the development and progression of HF. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is characterized by elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels while free fractions of thyroid hormones remain normal. This condition is noteworthy for its high prevalence (up to 15%), high development rate into overt hypothyroidism (2-5% yearly), and independent association with cardiovascular events and HF. Considering the controversy regarding the benefits of thyroid replacement therapy (TRT) in SCH patients, this narrative review aims to provide an update on the role of TRT in the development of HF and the prognosis of HF patients, while detailing the pathological mechanisms linking these two conditions.
Methods:
T3 as the active form of thyroid hormones binds to nuclear receptors in cardiomyocytes, altering gene transcriptions that affect the cardiac structure, function, and metabolism through modulating contractile proteins, calcium handling, and ion channels. Moreover, it affects vascular smooth muscle cells through regulating nitric oxide synthesis, and β1 adrenergic, and angiotensin II receptors leading to alterations in blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. SCH similar to hypothyroidism is proven to be associated with HF via several mechanisms. SCH results in atherosclerotic plaque formation and coronary artery disease by reducing nitric oxide synthesis and increasing lipid accumulation. This endothelial dysfunction leads to lower cardiac output, impaired coronary blood supply, reduction of diastolic blood pressure, and cardiac hypertrophy, ultimately resulting in diastolic dysfunction. Moreover, the decrease in preload and the increase in afterload causes renal hypoperfusion, activating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which leads to fluid retention and hyponatremia, worsening heart failure. Several clinical studies and meta-analyses support the association between SCH and HF by reporting an increased LV mass index, a depressed LV global longitudinal strain, a reduction in stroke volume (SV), a slowed myocardial relaxation, a poorer exercise capacity, and an increased NT-pro BNP and CRP levels in SCH patients compared to euthyroid individuals. Furthermore, many cohort studies following the patients for up to 4 years have established that the development of HF in SCH patients is approximately 2.58-fold higher in patients with TSH 7.0-9.9 mIU/L and up to 3.26-fold in patients with TSH ≥10 mIU/L. Also, a more than twofold increase in mortality, and a higher need for hospital admission, ventricular assist device implantation, and cardiac transplantation is reported in HF patients with SCH, especially when TSH levels are ≥10 mIU/L.
Results:
The management of SCH in HF patients is controversial due to the lack of adequately powered randomized trials for long-term clinical consequences. Animal studies show that thyroid replacement therapy reduces myocyte apoptosis, and improves ventricular remodeling, and cardiac function. Small human studies indicate improvements by TRT in the endothelial dysfunction resulting from the altered lipid metabolism, and the diastolic dysfunction resulting from the slowed myocardial relaxation, impaired ventricular filling, vascular function, and coronary flow reserve. However, larger trials showed inconsistent results probably due to the various definitions of SCH in the elderly population, and the variety in echocardiography measurements. Overall, it is considered safe and beneficial to treat SCH in younger patients, particularly with TSH levels >10 mIU/L. Still, much caution must be taken regarding the geriatric population due to the risk of adverse effects of overtreatment.
Conclusion:
As the 2022 ACC/AHA and 2016 ESC guidelines for HF recommend, serum TSH levels must be screened in all newly diagnosed HF patients and all patients with acute dyspnea and suspected Acute HF. As SCH is suspected, the 2020 NICE guidance on thyroid disease management recommends physicians consider full TRT in adults with TSH ≥10 mU/L and consider a 6-month trial of levothyroxine for SCH adults <65 years old with lower TSH levels who have symptoms of hypothyroidism. However, due to the potential risk of overtreatment and unclear evidence of its benefits through clinical trials the decision to treat the geriatric population with a TSH level <10 mU/L is not recommended yet. Therefore, it is of utmost importance in the geriatric population with HF even with TSH ≥ 10 mU/L, to begin with a lower dose and monitor their cardiac changes to increase the dose as needed. Even after maintaining a stable dose, TSH needs to be monitored up to twice a year.