THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THYROID FUNCTION AND SERUM LEVELS OF ANGIOPOIETIN-LIKE PROTEIN 3, LEPTIN AND VISFATIN

Background. Abnormal thyroid function is accepted to be associated with disordered production of hormones released by adipose tissue. Objective. We aimed to investigate the relationship between thyroid functions and adipocytokines as leptin and visfatin and Angiopoietin-like Protein 3 (ANGPTL), a secretory protein that affects adipocity in patients with thyroid dysfunction. Methods. Twenty-seven patients with hyperthyroidism, 27 patients with hypothyroidism and 31 euthyroid subjects as control group were selected. Serum TSH, fT3, fT4, fasting glucose, lipid profile, ANGPTL, visfatin, leptin, insulin, levels were determined. Results. ANGPTL and visfatin were significiantly different in hypothyroid group when compared to other groups. (p<0.0167) ANGPTL was positively correlated with TSH and leptin. Leptin was correlated with insulin and ANGPTL positively. Visfatin, positively correlated with TSH, total cholesterol, LDL-C and negatively correlated with fT3 and fT4. Conclusion. Serum ANGPTL may be increased because of lipid abnormalities in hypothyroid patients. Visfatin is thought as a partly mediator to the effect of hyper/hypothyroidism on several metabolic parameters. We suggest that the release of Visfatin is regulated by thyroid hormones. The effect of thyroid dysfunction on production and release of adipocytokine is not yet clarified.