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Irisin levels increase after treatment in patients with newly diagnosed Hashimoto thyroiditis

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Abstract

Purpose

Irisin is a newly identified myokine secreted by skeletal muscle and has significant effects on body metabolism. Thyroidal functional state has a profound influence on the metabolism of human body. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible changes in serum irisin concentrations before and after treatment in hypothyroid subjects.

Methods

The study included 26 patients with overt hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto thyroiditis and 19 healthy subjects. Baseline serum thyroid function tests and presence of thyroid autoantibodies and levels of creatine kinase (CK) and irisin were measured in both groups. All measurements in the hypothyroid group were repeated after euthyroidism was achieved.

Results

Serum irisin levels were significantly lower in the hypothyroid groups than the control group (p < 0.001). Negative correlation between irisin and thyroid stimulating hormone and CK levels (r = − 0.623, p < 0.001 and r = − 0.389, p = 0.008, respectively) and a positive correlation between irisin and free thyroxine (fT4) levels (r = 0.570, p < 0.001) was found. Serum CK levels decreased significantly after treatment (p < 0.001). Serum irisin levels significantly increased (from 57.4 to 99.8 U/L, p < 0.001) when the hypothyroid patients were treated to achieve euthyroidism.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study providing insight that low serum irisin levels significantly increased following treatment to euthyroid state in overt hypothyroid patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Larger scale studies are needed to confirm these results and to ensure irisin as a possible biomarker of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all the subjects, whose acceptance of this study made it possible, and the various persons in administrative positions, and ethics committee.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Usak University School of Medicine, Usak, Turkey

    Z. A. Uc

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey

    S. Gorar

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Usak University School of Medicine, Usak, Turkey

    S. Mizrak

  4. Department of Endocrinology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    S. Gullu

Authors
  1. Z. A. Uc
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  2. S. Gorar
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  3. S. Mizrak
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  4. S. Gullu
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Correspondence to Z. A. Uc.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Uc, Z.A., Gorar, S., Mizrak, S. et al. Irisin levels increase after treatment in patients with newly diagnosed Hashimoto thyroiditis. J Endocrinol Invest 42, 175–181 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-018-0899-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-018-0899-8

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