부산대학교 도서관

It is not clear whether radioactive iodine (RAI), one of the treatment methods for hyperthyroidism, causes endothelial dysfunction and increases cardiovascular risk in these patients. We investigated the effect of RAI treatment on carotis endothelial functions both with carotis intima media thickness (CIMT) and soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK). Twenty-one patients in each group who received radioactive iodine treatment and antithyroid drug were included. Thyroid function tests, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), C-reactive protein (CRP), sTWEAK levels, and carotis intima media thickness were measured at the beginning and on the 3rd month of treatment. Both groups were compared with baseline and 3rd month data. sTWEAK levels were higher in the RAI group at baseline and on the 3rd month than in the medical group (baseline sTWEAK 78.80 vs 49.90, p = 0.004; 3rd month sTWEAK 76.60 vs 40.63, p = 0.001). CRP level was higher in the RAI group on the 3rd month than in the medical group (2.70 vs 1.49, p = 0.024). There was an increase in measurements of CIMTright and CIMT left after treatment in both the RAI and medical treatment groups, but this reached statistical significance on the CIMTright for RAI (p = 0.03) and on the CIMTleft for medical treatment group (p < 0.01). Although even low doses of RAI treatment lead to endothelial dysfunction, we did not observe such a change in terms of CIMT and TWEAK levels in as little as 3 months.