Association of HPT axis hormones with metabolic comorbidities among individuals with and without anxiety: A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether anxiety modifies the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis hormone levels and comorbid metabolic disorders (CMDs).

METHODS

Data from 7298 NHANES (2007-2012) participants were used to examine associations between HPT axis hormones and CMDs. Weighted logistic and robust Poisson regressions estimated associations; restricted cubic splines (RCS) assessed nonlinear trends; weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression evaluated combined hormone effects. Interaction and stratified analyses were conducted to assess modification by anxiety.

RESULTS

HPT axis hormones showed significant associations with CMDs. Higher FT3 was inversely associated with congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary heart disease (CHD), and diabetes, but positively linked to CMD conditions, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and Metabolic syndrome (MetS). FT4 was negatively associated with obesity and dyslipidemia, yet positively with CHF, stroke and diabetes. Anxiety significantly modified these associations, notably FT3 with MetS (Pinteraction = 0.035) and TT3 with diabetes (Pinteraction = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

HPT axis hormones show significant associations with CMDs, with differing patterns observed across groups. Therefore, it is of clinical significance to pay attention to HPT function in the anxious population.