Can bone loss be reversed by antithyroid drug therapy in premenopausal women with Graves disease?
ABSTRACT: CONTEXT: Hyperthyroidism can lead to reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk particularly in postmenopausal women, but the mechanism behind is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: Prospective examination of the influence of thyroid hormones and/or thyroid autoantibodies on BMD in premenopause. DESIGN: We have examined 32 premenopausal women with untreated active Graves’ disease from time of diagnosis, during 18 months of antithyroid drug therapy (ATD) and additionally 18 months after discontinuing ATD. Variables of thyroid metabolism, calcium homeostasis and body composition were measured every 3 months. BMD of lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured at baseline, 18 ± 3 and 36 ± 3 months. Data were compared to base line, a sex- and age matched control group and a group of patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis treated with non-suppressive doses of levothyroxine. RESULTS: The study showed significantly (p < 0.002) lower BMD in the thyrotoxic state compared to th
