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Association between calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters and thyroid status in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men with euthyroidism: a population-based cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Although it is generally accepted that thyroid hormones affect bone metabolism, there is little data on the association of thyroid antibodies with bone status. We aimed to investigate the association between thyroid hormones or antibodies and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study conducted in Nanjing, China. A total of 1,001 Chinese men over 40 years were enrolled. We measured free triiodothyronine, free thyroxin (fT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone, anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobulin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and QUS parameters. After adjusting for potential confounders, QUS values decreased from the lowest to highest tertiles of fT4 in euthyroid men [quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) p = 0.002, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) p = 0.000, speed of sound (SOS) p = 0.009, respectively]. Men with high anti-TPO levels (≥200 IU/ml) were found to have lower QUI (p = 0.030), BUA (p = 0.034), and SOS (p = 0.041) values than controls (<200 IU/ml). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in individuals with high anti-TPO than those in lower levels (87.5 vs. 59.5 %, p = 0.001). Our results suggest that high fT4 or anti-TPO values are associated with lower QUS parameters. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the precise relationship between thyroid status and osteoporosis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof. Rongbing Yu, Nanjing Medical University, for statistical advice.

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China

    Yun Shi, Min Sun, Zhixiao Wang, Qi Fu, Mengdie Cao, Zhenxin Zhu, Chuchen Meng, Jia Mao, Yu Duan, Xiaoping Huang, Wei He & Tao Yang

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical College, Jiangyin, 214400, Jiangsu, China

    Wei Tang

  3. Department of Endocrinology, Rui-jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China

    Jieli Lu, Yufang Bi & Guang Ning

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  1. Yun Shi
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Correspondence to Wei He or Tao Yang.

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Yun Shi and Min Sun have contributed equally to this study.

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Shi, Y., Sun, M., Wang, Z. et al. Association between calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters and thyroid status in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men with euthyroidism: a population-based cross-sectional study. Endocrine 47, 227–233 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-0147-0

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