Abstract
Background: Hyperthyroidism heart disease (HHD) is the most severe complication of overt hyperthyroidism and increases the mortality risk in affected patients. Early identification of patients at a higher risk of developing HHD could improve clinical outcomes through active surveillance and management. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a secreted extracellular protein, plays a significant role in cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma CTGF level and the risk of HHD in this study.Methods: A total of 142 overt hyperthyroidism patients without HHD and 99 patients with HHD were included. The plasma CTGF levels were measured via ELISA. Routine clinical medical data and echocardiography parameters were also recorded.Results: The plasma CTGF level was significantly higher in patients with HHD than in those without HHD (P = 0.002) and positively correlated with the levels of FT3, TRAb, TnI, LDH and the left atrium diameter, right atrium diameter, and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter(all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that quartile 3 and 4 of plasma CTGF levels were significantly associated with the increased risk of HHD (crude OR 2.529; 95% CI 1.188-5.387). However, after adjustment for the potentially confounding variables, only quartile 4 was significantly associated with the higher risk of HHD relative to quartile 1.Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism patients with HHD display higher plasma CTGF levels. Furthermore, CTGF is an independent risk factor for HHD. Therefore, the plasma CTGF level may be a potential biomarker for the risk of HHD.
Plasma Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) Would Be a Novel Potential Biomarker of Atrial Structural Remodeling in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
