Association of Low Serum 25OHD Levels with Abnormal Bone Microarchitecture in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Med Sci (Basel). 2020 Dec 1;8(4):49. doi: 10.3390/medsci8040049.

Abstract

The association of low levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is being studied, as to whether it is a risk factor or as a coincidental one. This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency of 25OHD in PTC and its relationship with the trabecular bone score (TBS) and bone mineral density (BMD). This study includes 134 postmenopausal women with PTC, followed for 10 years. BMD was measured with DXA Hologic QDR 4500, and TBS with Med-Imaps iNsight2.0 Software. Mean serum 25OHD was 23.09 ± 7.9 ng/mL and deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency levels were 15.64 ± 2.9, 25.27 ± 2.7, and 34.7 ng/mL, respectively. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) were higher in deficiency (57.65 ± 22.6 ng/mL; 29.5 ± 14 U/L) and in insufficiency (45.88 ± 19.8 ng/mL; 23.47 ± 8.8 U/L) compared with sufficiency of 25OHD (47.13 ± 16 and 22.14± 9.7 ng/mL) (p = 0.062 and p = 0.0440, respectively). TBS was lower in patients with 25OHD < 20 ng/mL (1.24 ± 0.13) compared with between 20-29 (1.27 ± 0.13, p < 0.05) and 30 ng/mL (1.31 ± 0.11, p < 0.01). We found low TBS in patients with PTC and long-term follow-up associated with low serum 25OHD levels, not associated with cancer stage, or accumulative iodine radioactive dose. Low 25OHD associated with deleterious bone quality in patients with PTC should be restored for the prevention of fractures.

Keywords: 25 hydroxyvitamin D; TSH suppression therapy; bone mineral density; differentiated thyroid cancer; trabecular bone structure.