Hyperthyroid Graves' disease patients display increased extracellular water and reduced body cell mass, with standardized phase angle inversely associated with disease severity and representing a valuable clinical tool for assessing nutritional status in thyrotoxic patients.
Key Findings
Results
The majority of Graves' disease patients reported pre-morbid weight loss before diagnosis.
70.3% of GD patients reported weight loss before diagnosis
44 consecutive newly diagnosed GD patients were enrolled
Patients were stratified based on presence or absence of pre-morbid weight loss
The magnitude of weight change did not correlate with the biochemical severity of thyrotoxicosis
Results
GD patients without weight loss showed higher fat mass percentage and higher caloric intake than those who lost weight.
Patients without pre-morbid weight loss had higher fat mass percentage compared to those with weight loss
Patients without weight loss had higher total daily caloric intake than those who lost weight
This suggests increased caloric intake may compensate for hyperthyroid-driven energy expenditure in some patients
Pre-morbid weight changes may reflect increased caloric intake rather than disease severity
Results
Standardized phase angle (SPA) was significantly associated with FT3, FT4, and TRAb levels in GD patients.
SPA was independently associated with FT3, FT4, and TRAb levels
This association was independent of age, sex, BMI, and fat mass
SPA is described as inversely associated with GD severity
SPA is proposed as a valuable clinical tool for assessing nutritional status in thyrotoxic patients
Results
Compared with euthyroid controls, GD patients exhibited significantly altered body composition including lower phase angle, lower SPA, higher extracellular water percentage, and reduced body cell mass index.
GD patients showed lower phase angle compared to 44 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched euthyroid controls
GD patients had lower standardized phase angle (SPA) than controls
GD patients had higher extracellular water percentage than controls
GD patients had reduced body cell mass index (BCMI) compared to controls
Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
Results
Fat mass and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were similar between GD patients and euthyroid controls.
Fat mass percentage did not differ significantly between GD patients and matched euthyroid controls
PREDIMED score-based adherence to the Mediterranean diet was similar between groups
Controls were matched for age, sex, and BMI
Despite similar fat mass, GD patients showed distinct alterations in other body composition parameters
Methods
Body composition assessment using bioelectrical impedance analysis and derived nutritional indices was used to evaluate GD patients and controls.
BIA was used to assess body composition in all participants
Standardized phase angle (SPA) and body cell mass index (BCMI) were calculated as nutritional indices
Anthropometric measurements, thyroid function tests, and thyroid volume were also collected
Dietary habits were assessed using PREDIMED score, macronutrient intake, and total daily caloric intake
44 GD patients were compared with 44 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched euthyroid controls
Croce L, Pallavicini C, Gabba V, Teliti M, Cipolla A, Gallotti B, et al.. (2025). Body Composition and Eating Habits in Newly Diagnosed Graves' Disease Patients Compared with Euthyroid Controls.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233750