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RELATIONSHIP OF THYROID FUNCTION WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC
PARAMETERS IN A MALTESE TYPE 2 DIABETES POPULATION
S. Vella*, M. J. Cachia*, J. Vassallo*, J. W. Huber**, Y. Jeanes**
*Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Mater Dei Hospital (Malta) ; **Roehampton University,
London (UK)
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Objectives: There is currently considerable interest in the relationship between thyroid function
and the anthropometric markers of obesity. This relationship has not been established for type 2
diabetes (T2DM) populations. This study aimed to investigate the correlations of thyroid
stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (fT4) with anthropometric parameters in T2DM
patients and control patients.
Methods: 221 consecutive T2DM patients (119 males, 102 females) presenting at a diabetes
clinic in Malta and 72 control patients (29 males, 43 females) were recruited. Individuals with a
current or recent history of major illness or exposure to thyroid-affecting drugs were excluded.
Information regarding thyroid surgery, radio-active iodine therapy, family history of thyroid
disease and current treatment with thyroid controlling drugs was elicited using a standardised
questionnaire. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip
circumference (HC) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were measured for all participants. Venous blood
samples were drawn for TSH, fT4 and glucose in all subjects following a 14 hour fast. Mean and
standard error of the mean (SEM) were used for descriptive data analysis. Spearman’s
correlation was used for statistical correlation analysis.
Results: The mean (SEM) TSH levels were 1.8(0.2)µlU/ml for male and 2.5(0.2)µlU/ml for
female T2DM patients, 2.0(0.2)µlU/ml for male and 2.0(0.1)µlU/ml for female control patients.
The mean fT4 values were 17.5(0.3)pmol/L for male and 17.4(0.3)pmol/L for female T2DM
patients, 16.8(0.5) pmol/L for male and 17.2(0.5)pmol/L for female control patients. The mean
weight was 80.1(1.4)kg for male and 73.7(1.3)kg for female T2DM patients. The mean BMI was
28.9(0.4) for male and 31.4(0.5)kg/m2 for female T2DM patients.
TSH was positively correlated with HC (mean 103.6 [SEM:0.7]cm) for the total T2DM cohort
(rho = 0.2, p<0.05). Male T2DM individuals showed a negative correlation of fT4 with weight
(rho = -0.2, p<0.05). Female control subjects exhibited positive correlations of TSH with BMI
(mean 29.8 [SEM:1.0]kg/m2) (rho = 0.3, p<0.05) and HC (mean 106.0 [SEM:2.0]cm) (rho = 0.5,
p<0.01), as well as a positive correlation of fT4 with WHR (rho = 0.4, p<0.05).
Discussion: The positive correlations of both TSH and fT4 with anthropometric parameters of
obesity for female control subjects lend support to the hypothesis that leptin interacts with TSH
and thyroxine secretion. The lack of significant similar correlations for T2DM individuals could
suggest an underlying leptin resistance in the T2DM population.