The Relation Between Thyroid Function Tests and Obesity in Children
Abstract
It is well known that obesity is related to many diseases in both short term and in long term. Also it is well known that in many adult obese cases, this condition begins in the childhood period. In recent years there has been an increasing attention to thyroid function tests as many obese children are seeking for medical care. Although thyroid functions of obese children are usually normal, it has been shown that BMI and TSH is positively correlated, TSH is mildly elevated in obese children with respect to normal weighted children, T4 is normal and T3 is normal or mildly elevated. Thyroxin treatment for elevated TSH levels doesn’t change the weight status and lipid profile in obese children. Although the underlying mechanism is not clear, elevated TSH and T3 levels turn to normal values after losing weight by diet or surgery. Thyroxin treatment is not advocated.
References
- Parlak A, Çetinkaya Ş. Çocuklarda Obezitenin Oluşumunu Etkileyen Faktörler. Fırat Sağlık Hizmetleri Dergisi 2007;(2)5.
- WHO: Obezity Preventing And Managing The Global Epidemic. Report of WHO Technical Report Series 894. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2000.
- Cooper DS. Subclinical Hypothyroidism. N.Eng.J.Med 2001;345:26-65.
- Reinehr T, De Sousa G, Andler W. Hyperthyrotropinemia in obese children is reversible afterweight loss and is not related to lipids. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006;91:3088-3091.
- Rotondi M, Leporati P, La Manna A, et al. Raised serum TSH levels in patients with morbid obesity: is it enough to diagnose subclinical hypothyroidism? Eur J Endocrinol 2009;160:403-408.
- Bhowmick SK, Dasari G, Levens KL, et al. The Prevalence of Elevated Serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone in Childhood/Adolescent Obesity and of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases in a Subgroup. J Nat Med Ass 2007;99:773-776.
- Mutlu RG, Özsu E, Çizmecioğlu FM. Şişman çocuklarda hafif TSH yüksekliği: Nasıl bir sorun? Türk Ped. Arş 2011;46.33-36.
- Radetti G, Kleon W, Buzi F, et al. Thyroid function and structure are affected in childhood obesity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93:4749-4754.
- Rapa A, Monzani A, Moia S, et al. Subclinical hypothyroidism in children and adolescents: a wide range of clinical, biochemical, and genetic factors involved. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009;94:2414-2420.
- Pekary AE, Hershman JM. Tumor necrosis factor, ceramide, transforming growth factor-beta1, and aging reduce Naþ/I-symporter messenger ribonucleic acid levels in FRTL-5 cells. Endocrinology 1998;139:703-712.
- Stichel H, l’Allemand D, Gruters A. Thyroid function and obesity in children and adolescents. Horm Res 2000;54:14-19.
- Reinehr T, Hinney A, de Sousa G, et al. Definable somatic disorders in overweight children and adolescents. J Pediatr 2007;150:618-622.
- Dekelbab BH, bou Ouf HA, Jain I. Prevalence of elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in obese children and adolescents. Endocr Pract 2010;16:187-190.
- Grandone A, Santoro N, Coppola F, et al. Thyroid function derangement and childhood obesity: an Italian experience. BMC Endocr Disord 2010;10:8.
- Shalitin S, Yackobovitch-Gavan M, Philip M: Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in obese children and adolescents before and after weight reduction and its relation to other metabolic paramenters. Horm Res 2009;71:155-161.
- Reinehr T, Andler W: Thyroid hormones before and after weight loss in obesity. Arch Dis Child 2002;87:320.
- Wilms L, Larsen J, Pedersen PL, Kvetny J. Evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in obese adolescents. Acta Paediatr 2010; 99:906-911.
- Lloyd RV, Jin L, Tsumanuma I, et al. Leptin and leptin receptor in anterior pituitary function. Pituitary 2001;4:33–47.
- Kabalak T. Obezitenin diyetle tedavisi. “Obezite” içinde. (ed) Yılmaz C. İstanbul, Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri. 1995;107-137.
- Caroline S. Relations of Thyroid Function to Body Weight. Arch Intern Med 2008;168:587-592.
- Ross DS. Thyroid Function and the Metabolic Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007;92(2):491-496
- Franks PW, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, et al. Childhood obesity, other cardiovascular risk factors, and premature death. N Engl J Med 2010;362:485-493.
- Aeberli I, Jung A, Murer SB, et al. During rapid weight loss in obese children, reductions in TSH predict improvements in insulin sensitivity independent of changes in body weight or fat. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;95:5412-5418.
- Karakurt F. ve ark. Tiroid Fonksiyonları Obezite için Bir Risk Faktörü Müdür? Yeni Tıp Dergisi 2009;26:27-30.
- Krude H, Biebermann H, Schnabel D, et al. Obesity due to proopiomelanocortin deficiency: three new cases and treatment trials with thyroid hormone and ACTH4-10. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003;88:4633-4640.
