Thyroid autoantibodies are associated with a reduced prevalence of frailty in community-dwelling older women

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Mar;95(3):1161-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2009-1991. Epub 2010 Jan 8.

Abstract

Context: The contribution of autoimmunity to the multisystem dysregulation that characterizes the frailty syndrome in older adults is unknown.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between thyroid antibodies and frailty in older women.

Design, setting, and participants: We conducted a cross-sectional study nested within the Women's Health and Aging Studies I and II. Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs), thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs), and antinuclear antibodies were measured in the baseline sera of 641 community-dwelling older women.

Main outcome measure: Frailty was defined using a validated five-component measure.

Results: The prevalence of prefrailty and frailty was lower in TgAb-positive than negative older women (37.1 vs. 47.8% and 6.7 vs.11.9%, respectively; P = 0.01 and 0.03). The prevalence of prefrailty, but not frailty, was lower in TPOAb-positive than negative women (38.9 vs. 48.0% and 10.1 vs. 11.3%; P = 0.04 and 0.34). After adjustment for covariates including serum thyroid stimulation hormone concentration and thyroid medication usage in multinomial regression models, TgAb-positive older women had lower odds of prefrailty and frailty compared with TgAb-negative women (odds ratio 0.57 and 0.30; 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.98 and 0.10-0.85, respectively). Similarly, TPOAb-positive older women had lower odds of frailty compared with TPOAb-negative women (odds ratio 0.44; 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.96). These trends were not observed with antinuclear antibodies.

Conclusion: Independent of thyroid function status, community-dwelling older women who are seropositive for TgAbs and TPOAbs are less likely to be frail than seronegative women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Autoimmunity / immunology*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Frail Elderly / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Prevalence
  • Regression Analysis
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Thyroglobulin / blood
  • Thyroglobulin / immunology*
  • Thyroid Function Tests
  • Thyrotropin / blood

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Interleukin-6
  • Thyrotropin
  • Thyroglobulin