Objective  To investigate the correlations between serum thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in middle-aged and elderly population.

  Methods  Totally 1 348 community individuals were selected and were divided into < 1.26 mmol/L group, 1.26 to < 1.53 mmol/L group and ≥ 1.53 mmol/L group according to their levels of HDL-C. The baseline characteristics together with positive rates of TgAb and TPOAb of three groups as well as the factors affecting the positive rates of thyroid autoantibodies were analyzed.

  Results  The age and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in three groups showed statistically significant difference (P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences in other baseline characteristics, as well as the positive rates of TgAb and TPOAb (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in HDL-C levels between high antibody titer population and normal antibody titer ones (P=0.942), and HDL-C levels of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients in differed thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) group showed no significant differences (P=0.395). Logistic regression analysis showed that HDL-C level was not influencing factor on the positive rates of thyroid autoantibodies (P>0.05).

  Conclusion  Serum HDL-C levels in the middle-aged and elderly population are not associated with the positive rates of some thyroid autoantibodies (TgAb, TPOAb). The immunomodulatory effect of HDL-C may be limited in the mechanism of HT.