The investigation of serum apelin levels in patients with thyroid disfunctions

Adipocytes are not only energy stores, they are also functionally active cells. They produce various biologically active peptides, which have different physiologic functions. Adipocytokines control nutrition, thermogenesis, immunity, thyroid and reproduction hormones and neuroendocrine functions. Apelin is one of the most current and the most important member of the adipocytokine family. Changes occur at weight, thermogenesis and lipolysis in adipose tissue at patients with thyroid disfunction. Most of these metabolic aspects are related with changes in adipose tissue. In this study it was aimed to detect serum apelin levels at different thyroid hormone levels.32 patients with thyrotoxicosis, 32 patients with subclinic hyperthyroidism, 31 with hypothyroidism, 34 with subclinic hypothyroidism and as control group 31 healthy volunteers were included in the study. At this study, in addition to routine blood tests, sT3, sT4, TSH, serum apelin levels, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were measured and body mass indexof all patients were recorded.When groups were compared in terms of demographic features, statistically important differences were not detected between body mass index and mean age (p>0.05). Mean apelin levels at thyrotoxicosis group, at subclinic hyperthyroidism group, at hypothyroidism group, at subclinic hypothyroidism group and at control group were detected 4, 6±1, 9ng/ml, 3, 7±1, 9ng/ml, 4, 8±2, 5ng/ml, 4, 3±2, 2ng/ml, 3, 4±1, 4ng/ml, respectively. There were no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of apelin levels. While the highest level of apelin was detected in the hypothyroidism group, the lowest level was detected in the control group.Consequently, serum apelin levels were higher at both patients with hypothyroidism and patients with thyrotoxicosis than normal population, but this difference was not statistically significant. Further studies must be done to support our findings.Key words: Thyroid disfunction, apelin