Exercise is associated with a better healthcare-related quality of life (HRQoL) in multiple disease states; however, few studies have evaluated its impact in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT). A recent study published in The Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism evaluated HRQoL in women with sHT after 16 weeks of an aerobic exercise program.

This study consisted of two phases and included a total of 55 female patients, aged 20 to 60 years. Phase I was a cross-sectional study that assessed signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism along with HRQoL in 22 women with sHT and 33 euthryoid women. Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism were evaluated utilizing a modified Billewicz scale, which consisted of 12 clinical signs and symptoms. Additionally, HRQoL was assed using the Medical Outcomes Study 3—Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). This survey evaluated eight domains: functional capacity, physical aspects, pain, general health, vitality, social aspects, emotional aspects, and mental health.

In phase I, the sHT patients displayed decreased levels of physical activity and an increased incidence of signs and symptoms. Regarding HRQoL, sHT patients scored lower in the functional capacity domain compared with euthyroid patients (P = 0.02). While there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in other domains, women in the sHT group scored consistently lower, except in “social aspects.” Overall, the sHT group was associated with a perceived lower HRQoL.

In phase II, the investigators conducted a randomized clinical trial in which only women with sHT were included in order to evaluate the impact of an exercise program. The intervention group (n = 10) participated in 60 minutes of aerobic activities, three times a week, for 16 weeks while the control group (n = 10) maintained their usual daily activities. After the 4-month intervention period, HRQoL was assessed utilizing the same SF-36 as phase I. Results included improved scores for all domains in the intervention group, with statistical significance in the functional capacity, general health, emotional aspects, and physical and mental components. On the other hand, the sedentary group showed no significant differences in all domains assessed by the SF-36.

Investigators concluded that women with sHT tend to have consistently lower HRQoL scores when compared with euthyroid women. However, this study revealed that exercise may improve multiple domains of HRQoL. While further studies are needed to determine an optimal exercise program that improves quality of life in patients with sHT, the adoption of a healthy lifestyle for all patients should be encouraged by healthcare professionals .

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