Change in Serum Adipocytokines after Recovery of Thyroid Function and Weight in Patients with Graves' Disease

Jung, Han Young; Kim, Chul Sik; Nam, Jisun; Cho, Minho; Park, Jong Suk; Ahn, Chul Woo; Kim, Kyung Rae

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Adipose tissue is a hormonally active system that produces and releases different bioactive substances. Leptin, adiponectin, resistin and Retinol -binding protein-4 (RBP-4) are some of the recently discovered adipocytokines that participate in the regulation of intermediate metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin and RBP-4 and basal metabolism data (body mass index, weight change, glucose, cholesterol and HOMA-IR) for insulin resistance in patients with thyroid dysfunction before and after normalization of thyroid function and weight with appropriate therapy.
METHODS
We studied 20 patients with Graves' disease. Patients were evaluated at the time of diagnosis and again after normalization of thyroid function with appropriate therapy. Serum concentrations of free T(4), total T(3), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), insulin, glucose, lipid profiles, adiponectin, leptin, resistin and RBP-4 were measured in each subject.
RESULTS
Graves' disease patients showed significantly decreased lipid profiles, body mass index, waist circumference and increased HOMA-IR, leptin, resistin and RBP-4 levels in comparison with normalization of thyroid function. However, there were no significant difference in adiponectin. Moreover, no significant correlation were found between the changes of adipocytokines and thyroid function, anthropometric data, biochemical parameters. Only the change in leptin level and HDL-cholesterol level were significantly associated (r = 0.59, P = 0.01).
CONCLUSION
In this study, serum leptin, resistin, and RBP-4 levels were increased after normalization of thyroid function in patients with Graves' disease. However, the changes of adipocytokines were not associated with the change of thyroid function and anthropometric data. However, further studies are needed.