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Brown Adipose Tissue Activity and Thyroid Hormone

Brown Adipose Tissue Activity and Thyroid Hormone

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02499471
Enrollment
12
Registered
2015-07-16
Start date
2012-03-31
Completion date
2014-07-31
Last updated
2015-07-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Obesity

Brief summary

Rationale: During the last decades, research in possible therapies for existing obesity and developmental factors causing obesity has explosively increased. Recently renewed interest aroused for a tissue playing a possible role in both development and therapy for obesity: brown adipose tissue (BAT). To define the relation between BAT and thyroid hormone, the investigators set up the following research protocol. In this protocol BAT activity will be determined in subjects that underwent thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Objective: To study the effect of thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone on brown adipose tissue activity. Study design: Determine BAT activity after thyroidectomy in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients. Study population: Patients that underwent thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma, male and female, aged 18-65 years. Intervention: FDG-PET-CT-imaging (\[18F\]fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission-tomography computed-tomography) of BAT activity will be performed under cold stimulation twice. For patients clinically withdrawn from thyroid hormone suppletion, the first occasion will be in a hypothyroid state within 4-6 weeks after thyroidectomy and the second measurement will take place in a euthyroid state 4 months after the start of thyroid hormone treatment. For patients receiving recombinant-thyroid-stimulating-hormone injections, the first occasion will be shortly after the injection in a state of high thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. The second measurement will be in a euthyroid state 4 months after the injection. Main study parameters/endpoints: The main endpoint of this study is the effect of thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone on BAT activity in kBq (kilobecquerel) and SUV (standard uptake value). Secondary endpoints are the effects of thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone on energy metabolism, body core temperature, skin surface temperatures and skin perfusion. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: The absorbed radiation dose from the FDG PET-CT scan after administration of 74 MBq (megabecquerel) of 18F-FDG is 2.8 mSv (miliSievert).

Interventions

OTHERLevothyroxine therapy (137.75 ± 23.75 μg/day)

This study was a longitudinal study in an academic center, with a follow-up period of 6 months. Ten patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma eligible for surgical treatment and subsequent radioactive iodine ablation therapy were studied in a hypothyroid state after thyroidectomy and in a subclinical hyperthyroid state (TSH-suppression according to standard treatment protocol).

Sponsors

Maastricht University Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male or postmenopausal females undergoing a total thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma * Age 18-65 years * Stable physical activity levels for at least six months * Note: In case of use of anticoagulation, the dose will be adjusted according to plasma thyroid hormone values.

Exclusion criteria

* Psychologically unstable subjects (as judged by the treating medical specialist) * Subjects with mental retardation (as judged by the treating medical specialist) * Subjects with severe behavior disorders (as judged by the treating medical specialist) * Pregnant subjects * The use of the following medication is an exclusion criterium; ß-blockers * Participation in an intensive weight-loss program or vigorous exercise program during the last year before the start of the study * Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol * Severe diabetes which requires application of insulin or patients with diabetes-related complications

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cold-induced brown adipose tissue activity1 dayMeasured with 18FDG PET/CT scan after personalised cooling protocol

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Energy expenditure1 dayEnergy expenditure measured with ventilated hood system
Body core temperature1 dayBody core temperature measured with CorTemp telemetric pill
Skin temperatures1 daySkin temperatures measured with iButton wireless dataloggers at 14 ISO-defined positions on the skin
Skin perfusion1 daySkin perfusion measured with laser-doppler flowmetry on hand and forearm

Countries

Netherlands

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 2, 2026