OUDE Hypoforum

In summary, we found that bone mass and density were significantly reduced in premenopausal women with newly diagnosed Graves' disease with a marked improvement during ATD. At time of diagnosis serum calcium levels and calcium excretion were increased and PTH was decreased, as indicators of accelerated bone turn over, all of which normalised during ATD. The best predictors for BMD were opposite relationships to TRAb and fT4, respectively in the thyrotoxic female Graves' patients, and TSH alone in the control group. Although the mechanisms cannot be explained by the present results, they did indicate an important impact of both thyroid function and TRAb on bone modulation not only in postmenopausal, but also in premenopausal women. Attainment of euthyroidism partly reversed the adverse effect of hyperthyroidism on bones. This is a very important clinical finding, which will have an impact on the general management of these patients. However, longer follow-up studies in hyperthyroid patients of other aetiologies and more experimental studies in cells or animals will be required to clarify the mechanisms for bone reversibility in patients with thyroid dysfunction.