Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in the thyroid hormone, serum creatase enzymes, lipids, and clinical manifestations of differentiated thyroid cancer patients with levothyroxine withdrawal.
MethodsForty-six differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients were enrolled.The serial thyroid functionfree triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), serum creatase enzymesaspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alpha-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase (α-HBD), creatine kinase (CK), and isoenzymes of creatine kinase (CKMB), lipidstriglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL)levels of these patients were tested during a four-week levothyroxine withdrawal.These levels were then retested after 4, 8, and 12 weeks.The time-change curve was acquired and the clinical symptoms were recorded.Fifty patients with a normal thyroid function were included in the control group.A rank-sum test and a correlation analysis were performed to analyze the relationship among the FT3, FT4, and serum creatase enzymes of patients undergoing a four-week levothyroxine withdrawal.
Results① A statistically significant relationship was observed between those patients with DTC withdrawal and those in the control group in terms of their serum creatase enzymes and lipidsAST (t=3.888, P < 0.05), LDH (Z=-3.372, P < 0.05), CK (Z=-5.913, P < 0.05), TG (Z=-2.787, P < 0.05), TC (t=6.166, P < 0.05), HDL (t=3.041, P < 0.05), LDL (t=5.372, P < 0.05).② CK, TG, TC, and LDL returned to their normal levels after reusing levothyroxine for four weeks.③ FT3 is negatively related to CK and TC, while FT4 is negatively related to LDH, α-HBD, CK, CKMB, and TG.④ 86.96 percent of the major clinical manifestation are muscular soreness, hypodynamia and tumidness in DTC patients undergoing a four-week levothyroxine withdrawal.
Conclusions① Levothyroxine withdrawal can lead to abnormal AST, LDH, CK, TG, TC, HDL, and LDL levels.② The changes in the serum creatase enzymes and lipids of patients with DTC withdrawal were reversible.③ The FT3 and FT4 levels influenced CK abnormality.④ Hypothyroid myopathy occurred in DTC patients undergoing a four-week levothyroxine withdrawal, and the clinical manifestation was improved by reusing levothyroxine.