Visceral Fat Area and Subcutaneous Fat Area Increase in Hyperthyroidism Patients After Treatment—A Single-Group Repeated-Measures Trial

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline Demographic and Clinical Characteristics (n = 50)

Variable	M (SD)
Female (N, %)	45(90%)
Age (Years)	39.02(13.27)
Neck circumference(cm)	33.57(3.20)
Waist circumference(cm)	80.78(9.94)
Height (cm)	162(0.07)
Body weight (kg)	59.02(11.11)
BMI (kg/m2)	22.44(3.12)
Visceral fat area (cm2)	48.04(24.19)
Subcutaneous fat area (cm2)	168.38(70.95)
FT3 (pmol/L)	27.20(13.65)
FT4 (pmol/L)	59.67(25.70)
TSH (uIU/mL)	0.02(0.04)
TC (mmol/L)	3.62(1.06)
TG (mmol/L)	1.35(0.58)
LDL (mmol/L)	1.95(0.64)
HDL (mmol/L)	1.30(0.31)
Methimazole (mg)	16.90(5.04)

Abbreviations: M, mean; SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Comparison of the Following Parameters at Different Time Points

Variable	Before Treatment (T1)	6 Months After Treatment (T2)	12 Months After Treatment (T3)	Reference Range	F	P-value*	P-value** (Pairwise Comparison)
Abdominal fat area parameters
Visceral fat area (cm2)	48.04(24.19)	65.22(21.77)	70.56(29.27)	-	23.45	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Subcutaneous fat area (cm2)	168.38(70.95)	214.82(49.34)	219.16(53.85)	-	23.38	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Laboratory parameters
FT3 (pmol/L)	27.20(13.65)	4.82(1.75)	7.16(4.69)	3.1–6.8	121.60	<0.001	T1>T2(P<0.001) T1>T3(P<0.001)
FT4 (pmol/L)	59.67(25.70)	13.52(4.47)	20.97(11.55)	12–22	124.63	<0.001	T1>T2(P<0.001) T1>T3(P<0.001)
TSH (uIU/mL)	0.02(0.04)	5.92(9.20)	3.28(3.00)	0.27–4.2	14.96	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
TC(mmol/L)	3.62(1.06)	5.07(1.03)	4.58(1.14)	2.86–5.988	27.96	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
TG(mmol/L)	1.35(0.58)	1.29(0.75)	1.43(0.71)	0.56–1.7	0.85	0.43	-
LDL(mmol/L)	1.95(0.64)	2.89(0.74)	2.76(0.94)	2.07–3.12	23.00	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
HDL(mmol/L)	1.30(0.31)	1.47(0.32)	1.49(0.41)	0.94–2.0	6.70	0.002	T1<T2(P<0.05) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Anthropometric parameters
Neck circumference(cm)	33.57(3.20)	35.38(3.19)	35.53(2.64)	-	13.76	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Waist circumference(cm)	80.78(9.94)	86.60(8.45)	86.53(8.37)	-	14.44	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Body weight (kg)	59.02(11.11)	64.29(9.70)	65.78(9.51)	-	19.82	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
BMI (kg/m2)	22.44(3.12)	24.53(3.09)	25.08(2.78)	-	21.44	<0.001	T1<T2(P<0.001) T1<T3(P<0.001)
Antithyroid drug
Methimazole(mg)	16.90(5.04)	9.33(4.34)	5.28(3.89)	-	126.27	<0.001	T1>T2>T3 (All P<0.001)

Notes: * Linear mixed-effects model; **Bonferroni posthoc test.

Figure 1 (A) Comparison of SFA at different time points. ***P<0.001 (B) Comparison of VFA at different time points. ***P<0.001.

Figure 2 (A) Comparison of FT3 at different time points. ***P<0.001 (B) Comparison of FT4 at different time points. ***P<0.001 (C) Comparison of TSH at different time points. ***P<0.001.

Figure 3 (A) Comparison of TC at different time points. ***P<0.001 (B) Comparison of HDL at different time points. ***P<0.001 *P<0.05 (C) Comparison of LDL at different time points. ***P<0.001 (D) Comparison of TG at different time points. P>0.05.

Figure 4 (A) Comparison of body weight at different time points. ***P<0.001 (B) Comparison of neck circumference at different time points. ***P<0.001 (C) Comparison of BMI at different time points. ***P<0.001 (D) Comparison of waist circumference at different time points. ***P<0.001.

Figure 5 Comparison of methimazole dose at different time points. ***P<0.001.

Table 3 The Effects of Thyroid Hormones and Lipids on VFA and SFA Were Summarized by a Linear Mixed-Effect Model

Variable	VFA			SFA
	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value
FT3 (pmol/L)	−0.71(0.12)	(−0.95, −0.47)	<0.001	−2.12(0.38)	(−2.90, −1.34)	<0.001
FT4 (pmol/L)	−0.35(0.06)	(−0.47, −0.23)	<0.001	−1.02(0.18)	(−1.39, −0.65)	<0.001
TSH (uIU/mL)	1.97(0.55)	(0.82,3.13)	0.002	3.62(0.99)	(1.57.5.68)	0.001
TC (mmol/L)	4.75(1.52)	(1.75,7.75)	0.002	12.94(3.59)	(5.83,20.04)	<0.001
LDL (mmol/L)	9.30(2.00)	(5.34,13.26)	<0.001	18.74(4.88)	(9.08,28.39)	<0.001
HDL (mmol/L)	0.80(5.87)	(−10.80,12.40)	0.89	25.98(13.69)	(−1.08,53.04)	0.06

Notes: Variable: Parameters that were statistically significant at different time points were included; Estimate: Maximum Likelihood Estimation; Gender/sex and age were controlled in the model.

Abbreviation: SE, Standard error.

Table 4 The Effects of Methimazole Dose on VFA and SFA Were Summarized by a Linear Mixed-Effect Model

Variable	VFA			SFA
	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value
Methimazole(mg)	−1.31(0.26)	(−1.81,0.80)	0.06	−3.58(3.37)	(−10.19,3.04)	0.29

Notes: Estimate: Maximum Likelihood Estimation; Gender/sex and age were controlled in the model.

Abbreviation: SE, Standard error.

Table 5 The Effects of Thyroid Hormones on Blood Lipids Were Summarized by a Linear Mixed-Effect Model

Variable	TC (mmol/L)			LDL (mmol/L)			HDL (mmol/L)
	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value	Estimate (SE)	95% CI	P-value
FT3(pmol/L)	−0.46(0.01)	(−0.06, −0.03)	<0.001	−0.03(0.005)	(−0.04, −0.02)	<0.001	−0.007(0.002)	(−0.011, −0.004)	<0.001
FT4(pmol/L)	−0.02(0.003)	(−0.03, −0.02)	<0.001	−0.02(0.003)	(−0.02, −0.01)	<0.001	−0.003(0.0009)	(−0.005, −0.002)	<0.001
TSH (uIU/mL)	0.07(0.02)	(0.02, 0.12)	0.007	0.02(0.01)	(−0.01,0.04)	0.188	0.005(0.005)	(−0.03,0.03)	0.46

Notes: Variable: Parameters that were statistically significant at different time points were included; Estimate: Maximum Likelihood Estimation; Gender/sex and age were controlled in the model.

Abbreviation: SE, Standard error.