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Thyrotropin serum levels are differentially associated with biochemical markers of bone turnover and stiffness in women and men: results from the SHIP cohorts

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Abstract

Summary

In two large German population-based cohorts, we showed positive associations between serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations and the Fracture Risk Assessment score (FRAX) in men and positive associations between TSH concentrations and bone turnover markers in women.

Introduction

The role of thyroid hormones on bone stiffness and turnover is poorly defined. Existing studies are confounded by differences in design and small sample size. We assessed the association between TSH serum concentrations and bone stiffness and turnover in the SHIP cohorts, which are two population-based cohorts from a region in Northern Germany comprising 2654 men and women and 3261 men and women, respectively.

Methods

We calculated the bone stiffness index using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the calcaneus, employed FRAX score for assessment of major osteoporotic fractures, and measured bone turnover markers, N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (P1NP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), osteocalcin, and type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX) in all subjects and sclerostin in a representative subgroup.

Results

There was no association between TSH concentrations and the stiffness index in both genders. In men, TSH correlated positively with the FRAX score both over the whole TSH range (p < 0.01) and within the reference TSH range (p < 0.01). There were positive associations between TSH concentrations and P1NP, BAP, osteocalcin, and CTX (p < 0.01) in women but not in men. There was no significant association between TSH and sclerostin levels.

Conclusions

TSH serum concentrations are associated with gender-specific changes in bone turnover and stiffness.

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Acknowledgments

The contribution to data collection made by field workers, technicians, interviewers, and computer assistants in both the studies is gratefully acknowledged.

ET, HW, MR, MN, MP, RR, TI, HV, UV, LCH, and AH did the study design, study conduct, data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation. ET, HW, MR, LCH, and AH did the drafting of the manuscript and revision of the manuscript content. ET, HW, MR, MN, MP, RR, TI, HV, UV, LCH, and AH approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosures

Lorenz Hofbauer reported honoraria for lectures and educational material from Amgen, Merck, Novartis, and UCB to his institution and himself and grant support from Amgen and Novartis to his institution.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Funding and grant support

SHIP is part of the Community Medicine Research net of the University of Greifswald, Germany, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant nos. 01ZZ9603, 01ZZ0103, and 01ZZ0403), the Ministry of Cultural Affairs as well as the Social Ministry of the Federal State of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. This work is also part of the research project Greifswald Approach to Individualized Medicine (GANI_MED), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Federal State of Mecklenburg–West Pomerania (03IS2061A). This study was also funded by the DFG-Schwerpunktprogramm-1692 ‛Thyroid Trans Act’ (to H.W., M.R., and L.C.H.). This work was also supported by a Scholarship in bone research of the German Orthopedics Society (DGOOC) and the MedDrive Starting Grant of TU Dresden to ET.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

      E. Tsourdi, M. Rauner & L. C. Hofbauer

    2. Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

      H. Wallaschofski, M. Nauck, M. Pietzner & A. Hannemann

    3. Schwerpunktpraxis für Diabetes und Hormonerkrankungen, Erfurt, Germany

      H. Wallaschofski

    4. Institute of Physiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Karlsburg, Germany

      R. Rettig

    5. Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

      T. Ittermann & H. Völzke

    6. Functional Genomics Laboratory, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

      U. Völker

    7. Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

      L. C. Hofbauer

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    1. E. Tsourdi
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    Correspondence to L. C. Hofbauer.

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    E. Tsourdi, H. Wallaschofski, L. C. Hofbauer and A. Hannemann contributed equally to this work.

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    Tsourdi, E., Wallaschofski, H., Rauner, M. et al. Thyrotropin serum levels are differentially associated with biochemical markers of bone turnover and stiffness in women and men: results from the SHIP cohorts. Osteoporos Int 27, 719–727 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3276-x

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