Effects of L-Thyroxine suppressive therapy on bone mineral density

Abstract

L-thyroxine (L-T4) suppressive therapy for euthyroid nodular goiter is still a treatment of choice. However, many conceptions have been reported about side effect of this therapy on bone mineral density. in this prospective study, 20 patients (18 premenopausal women and 2 male) with euthyroid nodular goiter; given L-T4 therapy to suppress serum TSH levels between 0.2 and 0.4$mu$U/mL were followed for changes in bone mineral density of lumbar spine (L-1 through L-4), femoral trochanter, intertrochanter, femoral neck and Ward's triangle for 18 months with 6 months interval. Bone mineral density was assessed with DEXA (Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry At the end of the study, serum TSH levels decreased from 1.23±0.65 to 0.38±0.51$mu$U/mL (p