Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Authors

  • Vaneska Spinelli Reuters Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Patrícia de Fátima dos Santos Teixeira Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Carmen Lucia Natividade de Castro Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Cloyra Pereira Almeida Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Helena Roisman Cardoso Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Igor Mamed Porciúncula Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Thais Helena Serta Nobre Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Fabíola Alves Aarão Reis Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Alexandru Buescu Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Mario Vaisman Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2317-0190.v10i1a102394

Keywords:

Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction, Hypothyroidism, Fatigue

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to evaluate skeletal muscle dysfunction in sHT. 31 outpatients from HUCFF-UFRJ (29 women and 2 men aging between 18 and 75 years old) with 2 elevated TSH determinations were included. All of them were classified according to Billewicz’s score modified by Zulewski. Manual muscle testing was performed for a variety of muscle groups and quadriceps isometric strength was measured by an electromechanic chair dynamometer. The inspiratory force was estimated by the maximum inspiratory pressure register in a manovacuometer. Clinical score < 3 (normal) was found in 11 patients 35,52%, between 3 and 5 (subclinical dysfunction) in 14 (45,1%) and more than 5 (hypothyroidism) in 6 participants (19,4%). Fatigue was a complaint in 45% and showed positive association with score greater than 2. Shoulder abductors muscles strength was impaired in 14%. Severe reduction in inspiratory force (<60%) was present in 51,6%. No more significant correlation between the variables studied was found.  The reduction in inspiratory and peripheral muscular force in these patients may play a main role in fatigue. The lack of statistical significance found will probably be better understood with the increase in the number of patients, with the inclusion of a healthy sex-and-age matched control group and performing a prospective placebo-controlled thyroxine treatment trial.

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Published

2003-04-09

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2003)

Section

Original Article

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How to Cite

1.
Reuters VS, Teixeira P de F dos S, Castro CLN de, Almeida CP, Cardoso HR, Porciúncula IM, et al. Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism. Acta Fisiátr. [Internet]. 2003 Apr. 9 [cited 2024 Jul. 18];10(1):7-11. Available from: https://periodicos.usp.br/actafisiatrica/article/view/102394