Assessment of Bone Mineral Density in Patients With Subclinical Hypothyroidism

A lot of different factors are necessary for the harmonious development as well as normal functioning of skeleton: genetic conditions, hormonal and metabolic homeostasis, balanced diet, mechanical load. Any disturbances of those agents can lead to serious and dangerous consequences like length reduction, deformations, and fractures. Their results depend, between other, on one's age, type of disorder and its duration.

• There are a lot of endocrinological reasons of secondary osteoporosis (for example: Cushing's syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, hypogonadism, acromegaly, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism etc..

Any changes of normal thyroid function and Thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH) directly affects the remodeling of bone through TSH receptor found on osteoblast and osteoclast precursor cells.

TSH has a positive correlation with body mass index (BMI) in women; though, this correlation is insignificant in male. Women having subclinical hypothyroidism have reduced femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD). The variations in thyroid function are primary, while changes in body weight and bones are secondary. The physiological variation of thyroid hormones is associated with changes in BMD and non vertebral fracture risk in healthy postmenopausal women.

The definition of osteoporosis by the world health organization (WHO) is densitometric and non-clinical and is based on the measurement of bone mass and dexa method in the spine or hip. There is still controversy about the relation between thyroid hormones, osteoporosis and BMD in female hypothyroid patients. This study aims to fill the gaps in our understanding of impact of subclinical hypothyroid disorder on bone densitometry.