Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in subclinical hypothyroid women

Thyroid status is known to influence growth in mammals. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible relationship between autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism and growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3(IGFBP-3) levels. Thirty-five women with autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism, 33 years of age, were used as controls and enrolled in the study. Free triiodothyronin (FT3), free thyroxin(FT4), thyrotropin(TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase(Anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobuline(Anti-Tg), GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured in blood samples and correlations among these parameters were evaluated. We found no significant differences in GH, IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 between patients and controls. In patients and controls, there were no correlations among thyroid hormones and IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 levels, but GH levels were correlated with FT3, FT4 and TSH only in patients’ group. In controls, only IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were correlated. The present study suggests that subclinical hypothyroidism with high TSH and antibody status does not affect IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in adult women. To our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the relationship between autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism and IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels.