Abstract
PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression (TSHS) on bone mineral density (BMD) in Chinese postmenopausal women with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).Patients and methodsA total of 225 postmenopausal women with DTC who had received TSHS were included in the study. Postmenopausal women with postoperative DTC undergoing thyroid residual ablation or metastasis treatment between 2009 and 2015 were enrolled and followed up for 2 years. They were divided into two groups: TSHS group (median thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] <0.3 μIU/mL) and postmenopausal control group (median TSH >0.3 μIU/mL). Lumbar 1–4 BMD levels were measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and 6, 12 and 24 months. All patients had calcium and vitamin D supplementation. The diagnosis of osteopenia (−1 SD > T >−2.5 SD) and osteoporosis (T <−2.5 SD) was made according to WHO guidelines.ResultsThyroid cancers included 211 papillary carcinomas and 14 follicular carcinomas. One hundred and fifty-four patients were in the TSHS group, and 71 patients were in the non-suppressed TSH group (postmenopausal controls). No significant differences were found in the BMD of the lumbar spine between baseline and after 6, 12 and 24 months, pre and post treatment in TSHS and non-suppressed TSH patients. Compared with pre-TSHS, there was a reduction in the BMD of 1.9% in the lumbar spine at the 2-year follow-up. Significant difference in the number of osteopenia and osteoporosis patients at 24 months (χ2=2.88, P=0.004) was found between the TSHS (103/152) and postmenopausal control (32/68) groups. TSHS is not a significant risk of bone loss, but it is the incidence of osteopenia in postmenopausal women with DTC.ConclusionOur 2-year follow-up data indicated that TSHS had little effect on BMD in postmenopausal women with DTC. Large population with at least 5-year follow-up should be further investigated. BMD in postmenopausal women with DTC should be followed up regularly.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
