Summary
Several coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters appear to be affected by thyroid hormone
excess;however, the net effect on the haemostatic system remains unclear. We aimed
to update our previous review and systematically summarise and meta-analyse the data
by assessing the effects of thyrotoxicosis on the coagulation and fibrinolytic system
in vivo. Data sources included MEDLINE (2006–2012), EMBASE (2006–2012), and reference
lists. The sources were combined with our previous search containing studies from
1980–2006. Eligible studies were all observational or experimental studies. Two investigators
independently extracted data and rated study quality. Weighted mean proportion and
95% confidence intervals were calculated and pooled using a fixed and a random-effects
model. A total of 29 articles consisting of 51 studies were included, as in several
articles more than one study was described. We included four intervention (before
and after treatment in hyperthyroid patients), five cross-sectional (hyperthyroid
subjects and euthyroid controls), and four experimental (before and after use of thyroid
hormone in euthyroid subjects) medium/high quality studies for meta-analysis. We found
that thyrotoxicosis shifts the haemostatic balance towards a hypercoagulable and hypofibrinolytic
state with a rise in factors VIII and IX, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and plasminogen
activator inhibitor-1. This was observed in endogenous and exogenous thyrotoxicosis,
and in subclinical as well as overt hyperthyroidism. We conclude that both subclinical
and overt hyperthyroidism induce a prothrombotic state, which is therefore likely
to be a risk factor for venous thrombosis.
Keywords
Thyrotoxicosis - Hyperthyroidism - Coagulation - fibrinolysis