This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Guang-da, X. Articles by Lin-shuang, Z. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Guang-da, X. Articles by Lin-shuang, Z. Related Collections Thyroid Calcium and Bone Metabolism

Changes in Plasma Concentrations of Osteoprotegerin before and after Levothyroxine Replacement Therapy in Hypothyroid Patients

Department of Endocrinology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Xiang Guang-da, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Endocrinology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Wuluo Road 627, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China. E-mail: Guangda64{at}hotmail.com.

Context: Recent study has shown that overt hypothyroidism (oHT) is associated with increased plasma osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the plasma OPG level alteration before and after levothyroxine (L-T₄) treatment in oHT and subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT).

Patients: The study subjects included oHT and sHT patients and healthy individuals (20 subjects in each group).

Methods: All patients were given L-T₄ therapy to maintain a euthyroid state. Plasma OPG concentration was measured in duplicate by a sandwich ELISA.

Results: Plasma OPG levels in oHT and sHT before treatment were significantly higher than levels in controls (P < 0.01). After normalization of thyroid function, OPG levels in both groups decreased markedly (P < 0.01). The absolute changes in OPG showed a significant positive correlation with the changes in TSH (P < 0.05) and negative correlation with the changes in endothelium-dependent arterial dilation (P < 0.01) in hypothyroid patients during the course of treatment.

Conclusion: OPG may be involved in the development of vascular dysfunction in hypothyroid patients.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. I Botella-Carretero, F. Alvarez-Blasco, J. L. S. Millan, and H. F Escobar-Morreale Thyroid hormone deficiency and postmenopausal status independently increase serum osteoprotegerin concentrations in women Eur. J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2007; 156(5): 539 - 545. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G.-d. Xiang, L. Xu, L.-s. Zhao, L. Yue, and J. Hou The relationship between plasma osteoprotegerin and endothelium-dependent arterial dilation in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, July 1, 2006; 55(7): 2126 - 2131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]