Biomaterial Database

Metabolic effects of liothyronine therapy in hypothyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial of liothyronine versus levothyroxine. 2011

Francesco S Celi, and Marina Zemskova, and Joyce D Linderman, and Sheila Smith, and Bart Drinkard, and Vandana Sachdev, and Monica C Skarulis, and Merel Kozlosky, and Gyorgy Csako, and Rene Costello, and Frank Pucino

Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, CRC, Room 6-3940, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1613, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1613, USA. fc93a@nih.gov

BACKGROUND Levothyroxine (L-T(4)) therapy is based on the assumption that the conversion of T(4) into T(3) provides adequate amounts of active hormone at target tissues. However, in rodents, L-T(4) alone does not restore a euthyroid state in all tissues. Previous combination L-T(4)/liothyronine (L-T(3)) therapy trials focused on quality-of-life endpoints, and limited information is available on the effects on other measures of thyroid hormone action. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of thyroid hormone replacement with L-T(4) or L-T(3) at doses producing equivalent normalization of TSH. METHODS Fourteen hypothyroid patients participated in this randomized, double-blind, crossover intervention at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. METHODS L-T(3) or L-T(4) were administered thrice daily to achieve a target TSH from 0.5-1.5 mU/liter. Volunteers were studied as inpatients after 6 wk on a stable dose and at the target TSH. METHODS Serum thyroid hormones, lipid parameters, and indices of glucose metabolism were evaluated. RESULTS No difference was observed in TSH between L-T(3) and L-T(4) treatments. L-T(3) resulted in significant weight loss [L-T(4), 70.6 ± 12.5, vs. L-T(3), 68.5 ± 11.9 kg (P = 0.009)] and in a 10.9 ± 10.0% decrease in total cholesterol (P = 0.002), 13.3 ± 12.1% decrease in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P = 0.002), and an 18.3 ± 28.6% decrease in apolipoprotein B (P = 0.018). No significant differences were observed in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, heart rate, blood pressure, exercise tolerance, or insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS The substitution of L-T(3) for L-T(4) at equivalent doses (relative to the pituitary) reduced body weight and resulted in greater thyroid hormone action on the lipid metabolism, without detected differences in cardiovascular function or insulin sensitivity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007037	Hypothyroidism	A syndrome that results from abnormally low secretion of THYROID HORMONES from the THYROID GLAND, leading to a decrease in BASAL METABOLIC RATE. In its most severe form, there is accumulation of MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES in the SKIN and EDEMA, known as MYXEDEMA. It may be primary or secondary due to other pituitary disease, or hypothalamic dysfunction.	Central Hypothyroidism,Primary Hypothyroidism,Secondary Hypothyroidism,TSH Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Central Hypothyroidisms,Deficiency, TSH,Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone,Hormone Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating,Hypothyroidism, Central,Hypothyroidism, Primary,Hypothyroidism, Secondary,Hypothyroidisms,Primary Hypothyroidisms,Secondary Hypothyroidisms,TSH Deficiencies,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiencies
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011788	Quality of Life	A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral, social environment as well as health and disease.	HRQOL,Health-Related Quality Of Life,Life Quality,Health Related Quality Of Life
D001823	Body Composition	The relative amounts of various components in the body, such as percentage of body fat.	Body Compositions,Composition, Body,Compositions, Body
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D004311	Double-Blind Method	A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment.	Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D004334	Drug Administration Schedule	Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience.	Administration Schedule, Drug,Administration Schedules, Drug,Drug Administration Schedules,Schedule, Drug Administration,Schedules, Drug Administration
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man