Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate relationship between nesfatin-1 levels and thyroid autoimmunity in cases with chronic thyroiditis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 49 consecutive premenopausal women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and, age and body mass index (BMI)-matched 23 healthy female subjects were included in this cross-sectional comparative study. Levels of nesfatin-1, fasting and postprandial blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting insulin, cholesterol, free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin (TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG) were obtained for all cases. Additionally homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and BMI was calculated and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was measured for each case. RESULTS: The mean age of the group with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was 35.5±8.1 years and of the healthy controls was 33.2±7.1 years old (p=0.324). BMI and WHR were similar between the groups (p=0.239 and p=0.317). TSH, anti-TPO and anti-TG levels were significantly higher in cases with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (p=0.023, p<0.001 and p<0.001). Triglyceride levels were higher in the patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis at the limit of statistical significance (p=0.05). Nesfatin levels were not different statistically in between two groups [0.4 (0.39-0.43) , 0.39 (0.39-0.39) ng/ml;p=0.329]. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in thyroid hormones or autoimmunity in chronic autoimmune thyroditis may not alter nesfatin-1 levels. Different mechanisms, other than nesfatin-1, may be responsible for changes in satiety and energy expenditure in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

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