Endocrine Abstracts

Recent studies have suggested that subjects receiving thyroxine replacement therapy are in potentially increased risk of osteoporosis. We set out to measure bone mineral densities by ultrasound bone densitometry (UBMD) in three groups: group A of post-menopausal women (N=25) mean age 65 (±14), group B of women in generative period (N=20) mean age 41(±11), and group C (N=18) male mean age 54, receiving thyroxine replacement therapy during two years at least. The mean value of TSH was 2.5 mU/l, and the limit for T score was −2.5 S.D.

Results: Group A has a mean value of T score −2.67 S.D. (±0.7), although mean value of T score in group B was 1.8 S.D. (±0.6) and in group C was −0.6 S.D. (±0.5).The difference between group A and group B, and group A and C was significant, P<0.001, between group B and C there was no significance.

Conclusion: These results suggests that thyroxine has potentially effect on increase of bone turnover in post-menopausal women, but there is no similar effect in women in generative period and males on thyroxine replacement therapy, it is possible due to lack of protective oestrogen action on bone turnover in post-menopausal period.