Novel Biomarkers and Skeletal Outcomes Associated With Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction

Summary

Thyroid hormone is a key regulatory hormone for a range of physiological systems, including the skeleton. Previous studies have suggested that subclinical thyroid dysfunction (SCTD) may be associated with deleterious skeletal effects. However, controversy persists on the clinical relevance of SCTD as well as on optimal thresholds for treatment. Available data have substantial limitations: 1) limited prospective data are available to assess the associations between SCTD and non-cardiovascular outcomes, such as fractures 2) lack of data from large RCTs to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of associations between thyroid hormone and bone loss. The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone replacement in regard to skeletal fragility, bone mineral density (BMD), bone loss and metabolism, and the risk of fractures in elderly participants. The listed parameters will be assessed by dual energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA) and novel bone imaging techniques at baseline, at 1 year of follow-up. The study will be nested in the TRUST trial (clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT01660126), and will make use of its study infrastructure to determine bone biomarkers from biospecimens at baseline, and at 1 year of follow-up from 145 Swiss participants with persistent subclinical hypothyroidism randomized to either thyroxine or placebo in Bern and Lausanne.

Timeline

Start

2014-01

Primary completion

2016-12

Completion

2016-12

Publications

• Background Rodondi N, den Elzen WP, Bauer DC, Cappola AR, Razvi S, Walsh JP, Asvold BO, Iervasi G, Imaizumi M, Collet TH, Bremner A, Maisonneuve P, Sgarbi JA, Khaw KT, Vanderpump MP, Newman AB, Cornuz J, Franklyn JA, Westendorp RG, Vittinghoff E, Gussekloo J; Thyroid Studies Collaboration. Subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of coronary heart disease and mortality. JAMA. 2010 Sep 22;304(12):1365-74. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1361.
• Background Rodondi N, Newman AB, Vittinghoff E, de Rekeneire N, Satterfield S, Harris TB, Bauer DC. Subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of heart failure, other cardiovascular events, and death. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Nov 28;165(21):2460-6. doi: 10.1001/archinte.165.21.2460.
• Buchi AE, Feller M, Netzer S, Blum MR, Gonzalez Rodriguez E, Collet TH, Del Giovane C, van Heemst D, Quinn T, Kearney PM, Westendorp RGJ, Gussekloo J, Mooijaart SP, Hans D, Bauer DC, Rodondi N, Aeberli D. Bone geometry in older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism upon levothyroxine therapy: A nested study within a randomized placebo controlled trial. Bone. 2022 Aug;161:116404. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2022.116404. Epub 2022 Apr 2.
• Gonzalez Rodriguez E, Stuber M, Del Giovane C, Feller M, Collet TH, Lowe AL, Blum MR, van Vliet NA, van Heemst D, Kearney PM, Gussekloo J, Mooijaart S, Westendorp RGJ, Stott DJ, Aeberli D, Bauer DC, Hans D, Rodondi N. Skeletal Effects of Levothyroxine for Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Older Adults: A TRUST Randomized Trial Nested Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Jan 1;105(1):dgz058. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgz058.

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