Thyroid Function and Thyroid Autoimmunity in Relation to Weight Status and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents: A Population-Based Study

• Published in: Journal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology 2016-06, Vol.8 (2), p.157-162
• Main Authors: García-García, Emilio, Vázquez-López, María A, García-Fuentes, Eduardo, Galera-Martínez, Rafael, Gutiérrez-Repiso, Carolina, García-Escobar, Icíar, Bonillo-Perales, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Analysis; Autoimmune Diseases - blood; Autoimmune Diseases - epidemiology; Autoimmunity; Body Mass Index; Body weight; Cardiovascular diseases; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Luminescent Measurements; Male; Obesity - blood; Obesity - epidemiology; Original; Overweight - blood; Overweight - epidemiology; Physiological aspects; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Thyroid Diseases - blood; Thyroid Diseases - epidemiology; Thyroid function tests; Thyroid Gland; Thyrotropin - blood; Youth
• ISSN: 1308-5727; 1308-5735
• DOI: 10.4274/jcrpe.2687

In obese subjects, slight increases have been observed in thyrotropin [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)] levels, but data in children are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether thyroid function and autoimmunity vary with weight status in a healthy population of children and adolescents and to determine whether hyperthyrotropinemia is associated with any cardiovascular risk factor. This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in Almería (Spain) on a representative sample of 1317 healthy subjects aged 2-16 years. Thyroid function, thyroid autoimmunity and cardiovascular risk factors were measured. Chi-square test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regression were used in the statistical analyses. The obese children and adolescents had thyrotropin levels (mean ± standard deviation) of 3.12±2.44 mU/L. These levels were higher than those of overweight subjects (2.79±1.51 mU/L) and of normal weight subjects (2.73±1.30 mU/L) (p=0.02). Levels of free thyroxine and urinary iodine did not differ significantly between the groups. The prevalence (95% confidence interval) of thyroid autoimmunity was lower in the individuals with normal weight (2.9%; 2.0-4.2) than in the overweight (6.3%; 3.9-9.9) and obese subjects (5.6%, 2.5-11.3) (p=0.02). TSH levels were associated with obesity (β=0.36; p