Abstract | OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed at evaluating the association between radiological vertebral fractures and levo- thyroxine (l-T4) replacement doses in adult patients with hypopituitarism. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We studied 74 adult hypopituitary patients (males, 43; females, 31; mean age, 57 years; and range, 23-79) with central hypothyroidism treated with l-T4 (median daily dose: 1.1 μg/kg). All patients also had severe GH deficiency (GHD) and 38 of them were replaced with recombinant GH. Vertebral fractures were assessed by a quantitative morphometric analysis performed on thoracic and lumbar spine lateral X-ray. RESULTS: Radiological vertebral fractures were found in 23 patients (31.1%) in association with untreated GHD (P=0.02), higher serum free T4 levels (P=0.03), a higher daily dose of l-T4 (P=0.005), and a longer duration of hypopituitarism (P=0.05). When GHD was treated, the prevalence of vertebral fractures was more frequent (P=0.03) in patients receiving high l-T4 doses (third tertile: >1.35 μg/kg per day) as compared with patients who were treated with lower drug doses (first tertile: <0.93 μg/kg per day). Such a difference was not observed in patients with untreated GHD who showed a higher prevalence of vertebral fractures regardless of l-T4 daily doses. Multivariate analysis showed that untreated GHD (odds ratio: 4.27, 95% CI 1.27-14.33; P=0.01) and the daily dose of l-T4 (odds ratio: 4.01, 95% CI 1.16-14.39; P=0.03) maintained a significant and independent association with vertebral fractures in patients with central hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest for the first time that a relative overtreatment with l-T4 may influence the fracture risk in some patients with hypopituitarism.
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Authors | G Mazziotti, M Mormando, A Cristiano, A Bianchi, T Porcelli, A Giampietro, F Maffezzoni, V Serra, L De Marinis, A Giustina |
Journal | European journal of endocrinology
(Eur J Endocrinol)
Vol. 170
Issue 6
Pg. 893-9
(Jun 2014)
ISSN: 1479-683X [Electronic] England |
PMID | 24836549
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | © 2014 European Society of Endocrinology. |
Chemical References |
- Human Growth Hormone
- Thyroxine
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Topics |
- Adult
- Age of Onset
- Aged
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Female
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
(statistics & numerical data)
- Human Growth Hormone
(deficiency)
- Humans
- Hypopituitarism
(complications, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, epidemiology)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prevalence
- Radiography
- Spinal Fractures
(complications, diagnostic imaging, epidemiology)
- Thyroxine
(therapeutic use)
- Young Adult
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