High circulating levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in the patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate whether soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels are increased in euthyroid patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and whether they are associated with thyroid autoimmunity and metabolic parameters. Design: Cross-sectional. Subjects and Methods: In total, 80 euthyroid patients with HT and 80 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control participants were included. Serum sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO), thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and lipid levels and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed in all participants. Results: The patients with HT had significantly higher levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 than controls (both p < 0.001). The difference was sustained after adjustment for TSH and levothyroxine use. Regression analysis demonstrated that sICAM-1 was related to anti-TPO (p < 0.001), and sVCAM-1 was related to both anti-TPO and-TG (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively); this relationship was sustained after adjustment for age and BMI. Although FBG and HOMA-IR were higher in the HT group, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was no effect of anti-TPO, anti-TG, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the occurrence of high FBG and high HOMA-IR. Conclusion: sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were significantly elevated in the patients with euthyroid HT and correlated closely with thyroid autoimmunity. However, soluble adhesion molecules had no relation with glucose metabolism parameters in the HT patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Hashimoto thyroiditis
• adhesion molecules
• insulin resistance

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.