Gender, Age, Puberty, and BMI Related Changes of TSH and Thyroid Hormones in Schoolchildren Living in a Long-standing Iodine Replete Area

Abstract

The aim of the work was to assess thyroid function in children and adolescents in an iodine replete area and to explore possible effects of age, gender, puberty, and adiposity. Thyrotropin (TSH), total triiodothyronine (T₃), total thyroxine (T₄), free thyroxine (FT₄), and the T₄/T₃ ratio were determined for 440 schoolchildren (200 boys and 240 girls), aged 5–18 years, living in an iodine replete region. Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), and Body Surface Area (BSA) were calculated. In girls there was a negative correlation of TSH, T₃, and FT₄ values with age. In boys there was a negative correlation only of T₃ values with age. Girls had lower TSH, T₄, and T₃ values, whereas boys had only lower T₃ values at puberty compared to the prepubertal stage. Girls had lower TSH values than boys (p<0.03) only at puberty. BMI-SDS in boys and girls were 0.21 and 0.03, respectively. BMI-SDS was not related to TSH, T₄, or T₃ in either gender, whereas it was negatively related to T₄/T₃ ratio in boys and to FT₄ in girls. We conclude that estrogens may exert a suppressive effect on the pituitary-thyroid axis after puberty. TSH values are not correlated with BMI-SDS, whereas T₄/T₃ ratio in boys and FT₄ in girls are negatively correlated with BMI-SDS.

Key words

schoolchildren - gender - TSH - puberty - adiposity - BMI

References

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