Do you get sick of doctors who suggest a relationship between thyroid hormone supplementation and risk of broken bones, especially femurs in post menopausal women?
Well, there is a relationship according to this paper. But it says that insufficient thyroid hormone, even subclinical, is a risk factor. Implying that subclinical hypothyroidism should indeed be treated - especially if of autoimmune origin.
Hormones (Athens). 2013 Jul;12(3):439-448.
Frax score calculations in postmenopausal women with subclinical hypothyroidism.
Polovina S, Popovic V, Duntas L, Milic N, Micic D.
Source
Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Diseases of Metabolism, Clinical Center of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between the elevated TSH and fracture risk in postmenopausal women with subclinical hypothyroidism for evaluation of individuals with a high risk for osteoporotic fractures.
DESIGN:
FRAX score calculation (10-year estimated risk for bone fracture) and measurement of bone markers (osteocalcin and beta cross-laps) were performed in 82 postmenopausal women with newly discovered subclinical hypothyroidism (mean age 59.17±7.07, mean BMI 27.89±3.46kg/m2, menopause onset in 48.05±4.09 years of age) and 51 matched controls (mean age 59.69±5.72, mean BMI 27.68±4.66kg/m2, menopause onset in 48.53±4.58 years of age) with normal thyroid function.
RESULTS:
The main FRAX score was significantly higher in the group with subclinical hypothyroidism than in the controls (6.50±4.58 vs. 4.35±1.56; p=0.001). Hip FRAX score was significantly higher in the group with subclinical hypothyroidism (1.11±1.94 vs. 0.50±0.46; p=0.030). There was no significant difference in bone markers: osteocalcin (23.99±12.63 vs. 21.79±5.34 ng/mL; p=0.484) and beta cross-laps (365.76±184.84 vs. 306.88±110.73 pg/mL; p=0.21) between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS:
Postmenopausal patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, in particular of autoimmune origin, have higher FRAX scores and a thus greater risk for low-trauma hip fracture than euthyroid postmenopausal women. Our results point to the need to monitor postmenopausal patients with subclinical hypothyroidism for avoidance of fractures.
PMID:
24126312
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/241...
Rod
Image: Posterior view of the femur - annotated. Image created to illustrate Radiopaedia.org article on the femur. Date: 7 November 2009 Author: Frank Gaillard