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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2012; 120(10): 623-628
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1323808
Article
© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Relationship between Plasma Antioxidants and Thyroid Hormones in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

A. Mancini
1   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
G. M. Corbo
2   Respiratory Physiology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
A. Gaballo
2   Respiratory Physiology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
S. Raimondo
1   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
C. Di Segni
1   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
P. Gigliotti
1   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
A. Silvestrini
3   Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
S. Valente
2   Respiratory Physiology Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
G. P. Littarru
4   Institute of Biochemistry, Polytechnic University of the Marche, Ancona, Italy
,
A. Pontecorvi
1   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
,
E. Meucci
3   Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 11 February 2012
first decision 04 June 2012

accepted 24 August 2012

Publication Date:
16 October 2012 (online)

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Abstract

Background:

A low-T3 syndrome is observed in chronic diseases, but its treatment is still debated. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been conclusively studied under this aspect. COPD is a complex condition, which cannot be considered a lung-related disorder, but rather a systemic disease also associated to increased oxidative stress. We evaluated thyroid hormones and antioxidant systems, the lipophilic Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in COPD patients to reveal the presence of a low-T3 syndrome in COPD and investigate the correlation between thyroid hormones, lung function parameters and antioxidants.

Methods:

We studied: 32 COPD patients and 45 controls, evaluating thyrotropin (TSH), free-triiodotyronine (fT3), free-tetraiodotyronine (fT4), CoQ10 (also corrected for cholesterol) and TAC. CoQ10 was assayed by HPLC; TAC by the metmyoglobin-ABTS method and expressed as latency time (LAG) in radical species appearance.

Results:

We found significantly lower LAG values, fT3 and fT4 levels and significantly higher TSH in COPD patients vs. controls. LAG values significantly correlated with fT3 concentration. 12 out of 32 patients exhibited fT3 levels lower than normal range. So we divided COPD patients in 2 groups on the basis of the fT3 concentration (normal fT3 COPD and low fT3 COPD). We observed lower LAG values in normal fT3-COPD, compared to healthy subjects, with a further significant reduction in low fT3-COPD patients. Moreover higher TSH concentration was present in normal fT3-COPD, compared to healthy subjects, with a further significant increase in low fT3-COPD patients. CoQ10/cholesterol ratio was higher in low fT3-COPD vs. normal fT3-COPD, with a nearly significant difference.

Conclusions:

These data seem to indicate an increased oxidative stress in low fT3-COPD and a role of fT3 in modulating antioxidant systems. However low fT3 levels are joined to metabolic indexes of true hypothyroidism, suggesting that elevated CoQ10 expresses a reduced tissue utilization. These data might suggest the need of thyroid replacement therapy in such a condition.

Key words

oxidative stress - metabolic features - thyroid hormones - antioxidants - non thyroidal illness
 

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