Authors: Jordi L Reverter Eulàlia Colomé Susana Holgado Eva Aguilera Berta Soldevila Lourdes Mateo Anna Sanmartí
Publish Date: 2010/04/16
Volume: 37, Issue: 3, Pages: 467-472
Abstract
Studies on the effect of exogenous subclinical thyrotoxicosis on bone mineral density BMD in male patients treated with suppressive doses of levothyroxine for differentiated thyroid carcinoma DTC are not conclusive In order to evaluate BMD in femoral neck lumbar spine and distal radius and bone fractures in men under longterm suppressive treatment with levothyroxine for DTC we conducted a crosssectional retrospective study in 33 Caucasian men mean ± SD age 56 ± 14 years under treatment for DTC The control group comprised 33 healthy age and body mass indexmatched male volunteers BMD was assessed by dualenergy Xray absorptiometry DXA Bone turnover biomarkers calcium phosphate alkaline phosphatase PTH vitamin D urinary calcium and NTelopeptide/creatinine index and testosterone were determined Previous bone fractures were evaluated with a questionnaire and Xray images of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae Patients were treated for a mean duration of 15 ± 5 years No differences were found between patients and controls in bone turnover biomarkers or areal BMD Tscores or Zscores in all sites evaluated No earlier fractures or pain episodes were registered in either group and the incidence of asymptomatic vertebral fractures did not differ significantly between patient 188 and control groups 167 P = 09 In conclusion longterm suppressive treatment with levothyroxine in men with DTC does not appear to exert deleterious effects on bone mineral density or increase the prevalence of fracture
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