Elevated serum levels of free triiodothyronine in adolescent boys with gynaecomastia compared with controls

TY - JOUR

T1 - Elevated serum levels of free triiodothyronine in adolescent boys with gynaecomastia compared with controls

AU - Mieritz, Mikkel G

AU - Sørensen, Kaspar

AU - Aksglæde, Lise

AU - Mouritsen, Annette

AU - Hagen, Casper P

AU - Hilsted, Linda

AU - Andersson, Anna-Maria

AU - Juul, Anders

N1 - © 2014 European Society of Endocrinology.

PY - 2014/8

Y1 - 2014/8

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Pubertal gynaecomastia is a frequent phenomenon occurring in 20-40% of otherwise healthy adolescent boys. Little is known about the aetiology of pubertal gynaecomastia. Markedly elevated thyroid hormone levels in adults with hyperthyroidism are associated with gynaecomastia.DESIGN: A cross-sectional examination of 444 healthy boys with and without pubertal gynaecomastia.METHODS: We evaluated TSH, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free T4 and free T3 in a cohort of healthy boys with and without pubertal gynaecomastia.RESULTS: Boys with gynaecomastia had significantly higher serum free T3, even after correction for age, BMI and pubertal stage. After inclusion of IGF1 in the model the differences disappeared. TSH, T4, free T4 and T3 did not differ between the groups.CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the GH/IGF1 axis and thyroid hormones interact and influence the development of pubertal gynaecomastia.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Pubertal gynaecomastia is a frequent phenomenon occurring in 20-40% of otherwise healthy adolescent boys. Little is known about the aetiology of pubertal gynaecomastia. Markedly elevated thyroid hormone levels in adults with hyperthyroidism are associated with gynaecomastia.DESIGN: A cross-sectional examination of 444 healthy boys with and without pubertal gynaecomastia.METHODS: We evaluated TSH, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free T4 and free T3 in a cohort of healthy boys with and without pubertal gynaecomastia.RESULTS: Boys with gynaecomastia had significantly higher serum free T3, even after correction for age, BMI and pubertal stage. After inclusion of IGF1 in the model the differences disappeared. TSH, T4, free T4 and T3 did not differ between the groups.CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the GH/IGF1 axis and thyroid hormones interact and influence the development of pubertal gynaecomastia.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Gynecomastia

KW - Humans

KW - Insulin-Like Growth Factor I

KW - Male

KW - Puberty

KW - Thyrotropin

KW - Thyroxine

KW - Triiodothyronine

U2 - 10.1530/eje-13-0847

DO - 10.1530/eje-13-0847

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24963134

SN - 0804-4643

VL - 171

SP - 193

EP - 198

JO - European Journal of Endocrinology

JF - European Journal of Endocrinology

IS - 2

ER -