Association between levothyroxine replacement therapy and osteoporosis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a matched case-control study

Hypothyroidism is a common health problem among elder women. However, conflicting results were observed regarding the association between levothyroxine treatment and osteoporosis risk. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of levothyroxine replacement therapy on osteoporosis risk in the Saudi population. This study was a matched case-control study conducted from June to August 2020. Data were extracted from the electronic medical records and included sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, comorbid conditions, levothyroxine replacement therapy dose, duration, concomitant therapy, and bone mineral density. Cases were matched with controls (1:1 basis) by age; the study included 256 cases and 256 controls. In the multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis, thyroxine use was independently associated with an increased likelihood of osteoporosis. Therefore levothyroxine use in elderly females was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, and hence, clinicians must be aware of the levothyroxine replacement therapy outcomes in postmenopausal females at risk of osteoporosis.