The following is a summary of “Mediating role of thyroid-related hormones between thyroid dysfunction diseases and osteoporosis: a mediation mendelian randomization study,” published in the February 2025 issue of Endocrinology by Liu et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the causal relationships and mediating factors between thyroid dysfunction diseases (TDFDs) and osteoporosis (OP).
They utilized a 2 -sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between TDFDs and OP and MR analyses were also performed to examine the role of thyroid-related hormones and OP risk factors in the association between TDFDs and OP.
The results showed that hyperthyroidism increased OP risk (OR = 1.080, 95% CI 1.026 to 1.137; P = 0.0032). Hypothyroidism also elevated OP risk (OR = 1.183, 95% CI 1.125 to 1.244; P < 0.0001). Mediation analysis indicated that thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) accounted for 5.314% of the relationship between hypothyroidism and OP, while free thyroxine (FT4) mediated 9.670% of the link between hyperthyroidism and OP and suggested that TDFDs might increase OP risk in European populations, with TSH and FT4 playing significant mediating roles.
Investigators concluded the improved integrative care for individuals with TDFDs was crucial to mitigate OP risk, highlighting the significance of maintaining steady thyroid hormone levels and closely monitoring bone health for effective OP mitigation and prevention.
Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-025-88412-7
