View article

Objectives. To evaluate the effect of levothyroxine (LT₄) replacement therapy on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) patients. Methods. This study was a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial and involved 33 significant and 330 mild SCH patients. All of the significant SCH patients received LT₄ supplement. The mild SCH patients were grouped as LT₄ treated or not. After 15 months of follow‐up, prevalence of NAFLD in each group was reevaluated. Subgroup analysis was conducted in mild SCH patients with dyslipidemia. Results. After treatment with LT₄, the prevalence of NAFLD in significant SCH patients reduced from 48.5% to 24.2% (p = 0.041). In mild SCH patients, prevalence of NAFLD and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was not significantly affected by LT₄ supplementation. Nonetheless, mild SCH patients with dyslipidemia who received LT₄ …