J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Aug;25(8):1176-1181. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.8.1176.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism has Little Influences on Muscle Mass or Strength in Elderly People

• Moon MK
• Lee YJ
• Choi SH
• Lim S
• Yang EJ
• Lim JY
• Paik NJ
• Kim KW
• Park KS
• Jang HC
• Cho BY
• Park YJ

• KMID: 1714039
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.8.1176

Abstract

Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass, affects the muscle strength and muscle quality, and these changes decrease functional capacity. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction increases with age, and changes in thyroid hormone level lead to neuromuscular deficits. We investigated the effects of subclinical hypothyroidism on the muscle mass, strength or quality in elderly people. One thousand one hundred eighteen subjects aged > or =65 yr were randomly selected from a local population and classified into a euthyroid (280 men and 358 women), subclinically hypothyroid (61 men and 75 women), or overtly hypothyroid (7 men and 16 women) group. Although women with subclinical hypothyroidism had a higher prevalence of sarcopenia, defined according to the ratio of appendicular skeletal muscle mass to the square of height, muscle mass, strength or quality did not differ in relation to thyroid status in men or in women. Multivariate analysis including age, diabetes, hypertension, acute coronary event, alcohol, smoking, presence of pain, physical activity score, and lipid profile, showed that thyroid-stimulating hormone level was not associated with muscle mass, strength or quality. In conclusion, subclinical hypothyroidism has little influences on muscle mass, strength or quality, and may not be associated with sarcopenia.

Keyword

Sarcopenia; Subclinical Hypothyroidism; Aged

MeSH Terms

Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Diabetes Mellitus/etiology
Exercise
Female
Humans
Hypertension/etiology
Hypothyroidism/*complications
Male
Muscle Strength/*physiology
Muscle, Skeletal/*physiology
Questionnaires
Sarcopenia/complications/*epidemiology
Smoking

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