A finding that high-normal free-thyroxine levels predict frailty in older men has raised hopes frailty may be reversible, but experts say further research is needed.
In a study of almost 4000 community-dwelling men aged 70-89, Perth researchers found those with FT4 levels in the highest or second-highest quartiles had a 36% and 32% increased risk respectively of being frail compared to those with levels in the lowest quartile.
Yet there was no link between TSH level and frailty, despite the finding of an inverse log-linear relationship between TSH and FT4.
“Subtle dysfunction of the pituitary-thyroid axis, or high-normal pituitary-thyroid axis setpoint, may contribute to the prevalence of frailty in older men,” concluded the authors, who included geriatrician...
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