TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of T3 treatment on brown adipose tissue and energy expenditure in a patient with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity
AU - Van Santen, Hanneke M.
AU - Schouten-Meeteren, Antoinette Y.
AU - Serlie, Mireille
AU - Meijneke, Ruud W.H.
AU - Van Trotsenburg, A. S.
AU - Verberne, Hein
AU - Holleman, Frits
AU - Fliers, Eric
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Objective: Patients treated for childhood craniopharyngioma often develop hypothalamic obesity (HO), which has a huge impact on the physical condition and quality of life of these patients. Treatment for HO thus far has been disappointing, and although several different strategies have been attempted, all interventions had only transient effects. Since thyroid hormones increase energy expenditure metabolism (thyroid hormone induced thermogenesis), it was speculated that treatment with tri-iodothyronine (T3) may be beneficial. In 2002, a case report was published on reduction of body weight after T3 treatment for HO. No studies have been reported since. Recent experimental studies in rodents showed that T3 increases brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity via (pre)sympathetic pathways between the hypothalamus and BAT. Our aim was to investigate whether T3 treatment increases BAT activity in a patient with HO resulting from (treatment of) childhood craniopharyngioma.Methods: Thyroxine treatment for central hypothyroidism was switched to T3 monotherapy. Serum T3 and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations were measured twice weekly for 2 months. 123I-MIBG and 18F-FDG-PET after induction of non-shivering thermogenesis for the assessment of sympathetic and metabolic activity of BAT as well as indirect calorimetry for assessment of resting energy expenditure were performed before and during T3 treatment.Results: No change in sympathetic and metabolic BAT activity, energy expenditure, or BMI was seen during T3 treatment despite the expected changes in thyroid hormone plasma concentrations.Conclusion: We conclude that T3 monotherapy does not seem to be effective in decreasing HO in childhood craniopharyngioma.
AB - Objective: Patients treated for childhood craniopharyngioma often develop hypothalamic obesity (HO), which has a huge impact on the physical condition and quality of life of these patients. Treatment for HO thus far has been disappointing, and although several different strategies have been attempted, all interventions had only transient effects. Since thyroid hormones increase energy expenditure metabolism (thyroid hormone induced thermogenesis), it was speculated that treatment with tri-iodothyronine (T3) may be beneficial. In 2002, a case report was published on reduction of body weight after T3 treatment for HO. No studies have been reported since. Recent experimental studies in rodents showed that T3 increases brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity via (pre)sympathetic pathways between the hypothalamus and BAT. Our aim was to investigate whether T3 treatment increases BAT activity in a patient with HO resulting from (treatment of) childhood craniopharyngioma.Methods: Thyroxine treatment for central hypothyroidism was switched to T3 monotherapy. Serum T3 and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations were measured twice weekly for 2 months. 123I-MIBG and 18F-FDG-PET after induction of non-shivering thermogenesis for the assessment of sympathetic and metabolic activity of BAT as well as indirect calorimetry for assessment of resting energy expenditure were performed before and during T3 treatment.Results: No change in sympathetic and metabolic BAT activity, energy expenditure, or BMI was seen during T3 treatment despite the expected changes in thyroid hormone plasma concentrations.Conclusion: We conclude that T3 monotherapy does not seem to be effective in decreasing HO in childhood craniopharyngioma.
KW - brown adipose tissue
KW - craniopharyngioma
KW - hypothalamic obesity
KW - tri-iodothyronine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920086746&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/jpem-2014-0337
DO - 10.1515/jpem-2014-0337
M3 - Article
C2 - 25514327
AN - SCOPUS:84920086746
SN - 0334-018X
VL - 28
SP - 53
EP - 57
JO - Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 1-2
ER -