[Echocardiography in primary hypothyroidism. Study of 25 patients]

G Ital Cardiol. 1986 Jun;16(6):505-9.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

25 patients affected by Primary Hypothyroidism and a control group of 25 subjects were studied with M-mode and Two-dimensional echocardiography. In hypothyroid patients mean left ventricular and aortic root dimensions were normal compared to control subjects. Pericardial effusion was found in 22 out of 25 patients (88%). Septal hypertrophy was found in 12 hypothyroid patients (48%), only in 3 out of these 12 patients left ventricular posterior wall hypertrophy was found. A moderate left atrial enlargement was found in 7 out of 25 hypothyroid patients. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed an uniform degree of parietal hypertrophy from the basal segments to the cardiac apex. Therefore the main echocardiographic findings in hypothyroidism are: presence of pericardial effusion and asymmetrical septal hypertrophy. No correlations between these echocardiographic findings and age of patients, severity of "biochemical" alterations and duration of the thyroid disease was observed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / diagnosis*
  • Echocardiography*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pericardial Effusion / diagnosis*