Assessment of periostin in postmenopausal thyroid patients: A prospective case-control study

To evaluate the relationship between periostin in postmenopausal hypothyroid women. A prospective case-control study was conducted at Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) Hospital, Agamkuan, Patna, India. The study includes 38 postmenopausal hypothyroid women as case and 38 healthy women as control. Demographic details and anthropometric measurements were included. Biochemical parameters like triiodothyronine (T3), tetraiodothyronine (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), calcitonin, calcium, phosphorous, creatinine and albumin were determined. Serum periostin level was measured in case as well as in control subjects. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 was used to perform statistical analysis. Significant differences were noted in hip circumference (HC), waist hip ratio (WHR), white blood cells (WBC), T3, TSH, creatinine, calcium, phosphorous, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, and periostin levels between hypothyroid and euthyroid patients. Euthyroid patients had lower TSH and higher T3 levels, while periostin was higher in hypothyroid subjects. Correlation analysis showed periostin shows positive correlation with height and WBC, and negative correlation with T3, T4, and creatinine. Whereas, TSH shows positive correlation with creatinine in hypothyroid cases and shows negative correlation with weight and body mass index (BMI). Hypothyroid patients observed with higher serum periostin levels in comparison to euthyroid individuals. Further research on periostin in large population is required in hypothyroid cases along with bone mineral density (BMD) to be explored as a possible biomarker. • Periostin levels were significantly elevated in hypothyroid cases compared to euthyroid controls ( p = 0.0001 ). • A strong inverse correlation between periostin and thyroid hormones (T3, T4) was observed. • A rigorous case-control study design ensured participant homogeneity and data reliability.