Epicardial adipose tissue increased in patients with newly diagnosed subclinical hypothyroidism

To investigate whether or not patients with subclinical hypothyroidism [SH] have increased epicardial adipose tissue [EAT]. Sixty-one patients with newly diagnosed SH and without any known cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Twenty-four subjects matched for age, gender and body mass index without any thyroid dysfunctions were included as a control group. The EAT was measured by echocardiography and thyroid functions were assessed by routine blood examination. Patients with SH had higher EAT values than control subjects [3.6 +/- 0.9 vs. 2.8 +/- 1.4, p = 0.005]. Also, SH patients with thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] >/= 10 mU/l had higher EAT than those with SH with TSH <10 mU/l and control subjects [p = 0.013]. In addition, while there was significant correlation between EAT and TSH [r = 0.31, p = 0.014] in patients with SH, there was no significant relation between EAT and TSH in normal subjects [r = 0.09, p = 0.64]. There was a higher level of EAT in patients with SH compared with normal subjects and a significant correlation between EAT and TSH was found

Depression, anxiety and quality of life of family caregivers of patients with type 2 diabetes

It was our aim to investigate the quality of life [QOL] among family caregivers of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Short Form-36 QOL scale, Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form were used to evaluate the presence and degree of depression and anxiety and their association with sociodemographic features of 50 family caregivers of diabetic patients compared to 54 controls. The groups were similar in terms of age, sex, health insurance, educational status and marital and financial status. Beck Depression Inventory scores were significantly higher in family caregivers [p = 0.001] than in controls. Depression as a categorical variable was significantly more frequent among family caregivers of diabetic patients than among controls [p < 0.001]. The social function component of the QOL of controls was better than that of family caregivers [p < 0.005]. There was no difference between groups in terms of anxiety. Family caregivers of diabetic patients appeared to be more prone to depression and tended to have a poorer QOL