title: Quality of life in patients with primary hypothyroidism related to BMI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many patients treated for primary hypothyroidism have an unexplained reduced quality of life (QOL). We studied the relation between QOL and various parameters in treated hypothyroid patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  QOL analysis was done in 90 consecutive patients (77.8% females) treated for primary hypothyroidism. QOL was measured by the questionnaires Short-Form 36, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and MFI20. Post hoc analysis was performed on the relation of QOL at baseline and BMI, thyroid hormones and other serum values. QOL in patients was also compared to the general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL was decreased compared to the general population. We found an inverse relationship between QOL and BMI. A relationship between QOL and serum thyroid parameters or auto-antibodies could not be found. Higher sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels corresponded with a better QOL, which is explained by the negative association of SHBG with body weight and BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A decreased QOL in hypothyroid patients on thyroxine treatment is related to a higher body weight (BMI). Weight gain needs more attention in the treatment of hypothyroidism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal MedicineMaasstad Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Internal MedicineErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of CardiologyAcademic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands nienkekelderman@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kelderman-Bolk
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal MedicineMaasstad Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Internal MedicineErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of CardiologyAcademic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Theo J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal MedicineMaasstad Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Internal MedicineErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of CardiologyAcademic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tijssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal MedicineMaasstad Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Internal MedicineErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of CardiologyAcademic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berghout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D018828:Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating / Q000097:blood; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D018828:Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; C094372:thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; C056658:TPO protein, human; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; D013974:Thyroxine