Endocrine Abstracts

Hyper- and hypothyroidism are accompanied by significant changes in basic metabolic rate, balance of catabolic and anabolic processes, thermogenesis and ultimately in body weight. The aim of this pilot study was to estimate changes in body composition during certain stages of treatment in patients with severe hypo- and hyperthyroidism; current relation between observed hormonal status and body composition and ultimately the relation between changes in body composition and changes in current hormonal values.

The study included 70 consecutive subjects recruited in outpatient clinic with an initial diagnosis of thyroid function disorders (m/f=22/48, mean age =46.3±14.8). Body composition analysis and hormonal assessment were performed at the moment of the diagnosis (V1), 3 months after treatment induction (V2) and after normalization of hormonal values (V3). Finally, euthyreosis was restored in 18 subjects with hyperthyroidism (m/f=4/14, mean age 38.55±12.7) and 27 subjects with hypothyroidism (m/f=8/19, mean age 46.8±16.46), whose data was further analyzed.

As a result, patients with symptomatic hyperthyroidism, presented a decrease in total body mass with a simultaneous loss in muscle mass and body fat. In a group of individuals with hypothyroidism, weight gain resulted mainly from the increase in fat mass. Additionally, in the first stage of treatment, only body weight and fat content were significantly correlated with an actual hormonal values. However, each change of body composition was strongly associated with the change in patients’ hormonal status. It may be the effect of both direct and indirect influence of thyroid status on body metabolism.