title: Treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism does not affect bone mass as determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, peripheral quantitative computed tomography and quantitative bone ultrasound in Spanish women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The results of studies examining the influence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and levothyroxine (L-T4) replacement therapy on bone have generated considerable interest but also controversy. The present research aims to evaluate the effects of L-T4 treatment on different skeletal sites in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 45 premenopausal (mean age: 43.62 ±6.65 years) and 180 postmenopausal (mean age: 59.51 ±7.90 years) women with SCH who were undergoing L-T4 replacement therapy for at least 6 months were compared to 58 pre- and 180 postmenopausal women with SCH (untreated) matched for age. The mean doses of L-T4 were 90.88 ±42.59 µg/day in the premenopausal women and 86.35 ±34.11 µg/day in the postmenopausal women. Bone measurements were obtained using quantitative bone ultrasound (QUS) for the phalanx, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for the lumbar spine and hip, and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) for the non-dominant distal forearm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed between patients and untreated controls in these bone measurements except in the bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine (p = 0.0214) in postmenopausal women, which was greater in treated women than in untreated controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that adequate metabolic control through replacement treatment with L-T4 in pre- and postmenopausal women does not affect bone mass.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pedrera-Zamorano
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roncero-Martin
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Julian F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Calderon-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos-Vivas
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Alvárez
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Group, School of Nursing and Occupational Therapy, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Purificación
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rey-Sanchez
keywords: bone mineral density; levothyroxine; postmenopausal; premenopausal; subclinical hypothyroidism