Exercise training improves quality of life in women with subclinical hypothyroidism: a randomized clinical trial.

Francisco Zacaron Werneck, Emerson Filipino Coelho, Saulo Peters Almas, Marília Mendes do Nascimento Garcia, Heloina Lamha Machado Bonfante, Jorge Roberto Perrout de Lima, Patrícia Dos Santos Vigário, Míriam Raquel Meira Mainenti, Patrícia de Fátima Dos Santos Teixeira, Mário Vaisman

Journal: Archives of endocrinology and metabolism 2018;62(5):530-536

PMID: 30462806

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Plain Language Summary

Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) act on most body cells, and changes in the amount in circulation of these hormones impacts people’s health. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether exercise improves health related quality of life in women with subclinical hypothyroidism. The study included 55 female participants aged between 20 – 60 years. The women were divided into two groups; the subclinical hypothyroidism group and the control group. Results indicate that women with subclinical hypothyroidism (an elevated thyroid stimulating hormone value with normal T4 hormone levels) showed improvements in multiple domains of health-related quality of life after aerobic exercise training. Authors conclude that physical activity can be used as a strategy to improve health perception of subclinical hypothyroidism patients and should be encouraged by doctors.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to evaluate the quality of life (HRQoL) in women with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT) after 16 weeks of endurance training.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In the first phase, a cross-sectional study was conducted in which 22 women with sHT (median age: 41.5 (interquartile range: 175) years, body mass index: 26.2 (8.7) kg/m2, thyroid stimulating hormone > 4.94 mIU/L and free thyroxine between 0.8 and 1.3 ng/dL were compared to a group of 33 euthyroid women concerned to HRQoL. In the second phase, a randomized clinical trial was conducted where only women with sHT were randomly divided into two groups: sHT-Tr (n = 10) - participants that performed an exercise program - and sHT-Sed (n = 10) - controls. Exercise training consisted of 60 minutes of aerobic activities (bike and treadmill), three times a week, for 16 weeks. The HRQoL was assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire in the early and at the end of four months.

RESULTS

Women with sHT had lower scores on functional capacity domain in relation to the euthyroid ones (770 ± 23.0 vs. 88.8 ± 14.6; p = 0.020). The sHT-Tr group improved functional capacity, general health, emotional aspects, mental and physical component of HRQoL after training period, while the sHT-Sed group showed no significant changes.

CONCLUSION

After 16 weeks of aerobic exercise training, there were remarkable improvements in HRQoL in women with sHT.

Address: Universaidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil.; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.; Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil.; Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora (Suprema), Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil.; Centro Universitário Augusto Motta (Unisuam), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.; Escola de Educação Física do Exército (EsEFEx), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.

DOI: 10.20945/2359-3997000000073

Patient Centred Factor

Triggers: Physical exercise

Clinical Imbalances

Hormonal

Laboratory Testing

Imaging

Modifiable Lifestyle Factors

Exercise and movement

Jadad Score

Nutrition Evidence Keywords

Body mass index Physical exercise Hypothyroidism Thyroid hormones Thyroid gland

Bioactive Substances

T3 Triiodothyronine

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MeSH Terms: Adult, Analysis of Variance, Autoantibodies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Exercise, Exercise Therapy, Female, Humans, Hypothyroidism, Iodide Peroxidase, Luminescent Measurements, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Reproducibility of Results, Surveys and Questionnaires, Thyrotropin, Thyroxine, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome