糖尿病患者检测甲状腺激素的临床意义探讨

目的探讨甲状腺激素与糖尿病类型、病情及病程的关系。方法选择糖尿病患者197例和健康体检者40例,采用电化学发光法测定血清甲状腺激素三碘甲状腺原氨酸(T3)、总甲状腺素(T4)、游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸(FT3)、游离甲状腺素(FT4)、促甲状腺激素(TSH)水平,采用放射免疫法测定甲状腺激素rT3含量,观察糖尿病不同类型、病情、病程分组中T3、T4、FT3、FT4,TSHr、T3含量变化特点。结果 1型和2型糖尿病组T3、FT3、FT4均显著低于健康对照组(P<0.01),rT3均显著高于健康对照组(P<0.01);1型糖尿病组T3、FT3、FT4低于2型糖尿病组(P<0.05),而rT3高于2型糖尿病组(P>0.05)。7%≤糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)<10%、10%≤HbA1c<13%、HbA1c≥13%3组的T3、FT3和TSH低于HbA1c<7%组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。随着病程延长,T3、FT3呈降低趋势(P<0.05或P<0.01),rT3呈现升高趋势(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论甲状腺激素水平对糖尿病患者糖代谢的评估、病情估计及预后判断有重要的临床意义。     

Limitations of new thyroid function tests in pregnancy

Sensitive immunoradiometric assays (IRMA) for TSH and radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits for free thyroid hormones (fT4, fT3) are becoming increasingly used for routine thyroid investigations. We have assessed these tests in 93 euthyroid pregnant women. Mean fT4 and fT3 values decreased with gestation by 24-27% and 14-35%, respectively, using several analogue RIA kits. Some patients had free hormone values which fell below the reference range derived from non-pregnant euthyroid patients. By contrast, the fT4 concentrations measured by direct equilibrium dialysis fell by only 16% with all values within the reference range. Serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels (non-fasting) did not correlate with fT4 and fT3 but a spurious effect of serum albumin levels on the free hormone kits was suggested. TSH results showed that the majority of subjects had lower values measured by IRMA than by RIA. Three patients had basal TSH (IRMA) below the mean detection limit of the assay; this could have been falsely interpreted as indicating hyperthyroidism. We conclude that, as with longer established thyroid function tests, special care must be taken in interpreting results of these new thyroid function tests in pregnancy.     

Transthyretin--an explanation of "anomalous" serum thyroid hormone values in severe illness?

The following serum analytes were measured in 464 patients with defined carcinomas and other tumours as well as those with chronic obstructive lung disease and under regular haemodialysis, and in 261 healthy controls: thyrotropin (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) and transthyretin (TTR). The following ratios were constructed: fT4 x TTR, defined as the thyroxine availability index fT4/TTR, defined as the thyroid hormone compensation index 100 x T3/TBG as the free T3 index (fT3I) and fT3I x TTR, defined as the triiodothyronine availability index. Significantly elevated thyrotropin values (p = 0.05) were only found in patients with breast cancer when compared with age matched controls, although elevated T4 and fT4 values were found in all experimental groups except the haemodialysis patients (p less than 0.01). The thyroxine availability index and triiodothyronine availability index values were not significantly different from the age matched controls (greater than 60 a) in the cancer groups, showing that the transthyretin concentrations compensated for changes in fT4 or vice versa. These findings are reflected in the euthyroid thyrotropin values. The T4 and fT4 values in the dialysis patient group were significantly lower than in the age matched controls (p less than 0.01), while the transthyretin values were significantly higher (p less than 0.01), which accounted for the normal thyroxine availability index and euthyroid thyrotropin values.     

TSH may not be a good marker for adequate thyroid hormone replacement therapy

The objective of this study was to evaluate parameters of thyroid function and indices of peripheral thyroid hormone action (such as SHBG) in patients whose hypothyroidism was considered well controlled under current criteria. Eighty-five patients with T4-treated hypothyroidism, 28 of whom had athyria, were compared with 114 normal individuals with the same TSH levels. T3 levels were significantly lower in hypothyroidism although mean T4 and fT4 levels were significantly higher. Furthermore, mean SHBG levels were significantly lower in hypothyroidism independently of age. The difference remained when stricter criteria for adequate treatment were applied (TSH < 2.5 microgU/ml). Significant negative correlations were found between logTSH and T3. The slopes of the regression lines of T3 to TSH were significantly different in the control group and the hypothyroid group: thus, for the same TSH levels, T3 levels were lower in the hypothyroid group. We conclude that patients with T4-treated hypothyroidism have lower T3 levels, lower T3/T4 ratio and lower SHBG than normal individuals with the same TSH, perhaps indicating relative tissue hypothyroidism in the liver. TSH levels used to monitor substitution, mostly regulated by intracellular T3 in the pituitary, may not be such a good indicator of adequate thyroid hormone action in all tissues. The co-administration of T3 may prove more effective in this respect, provided novel suitable preparations are developed. Until this is accomplished, substitution in hypothyroidism should aim at low normal TSH, to ensure normal T3 levels.     

Endocrine and reproductive dysfunction following fractionated total body irradiation in adults

The endocrine and reproductive sequelae of total body irradiation for haematological malignancy have been studied in 21 patients (11 male) who were treated with 10 Gy in five fractions or 12 or 13.2 Gy in six fractions over 3 days. Eighteen patients (eight male) aged 16-49 years underwent dynamic tests of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis with insulin hypoglycaemia, thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) and gonadotrophin releasing hormone stimulation and basal measurement of prolactin, sex steroids and thyroid hormones. Growth hormone responses (mean peak 64 +/- 36 mU/l, range 21-146 mU/l) and cortisol responses (mean peak 831 +/- 122 nmol/l, range 626-1105 nmol/l) were all within the normal range. Two patients had minimally elevated serum prolactin levels (445 and 588 mU/l, normal less than 350 mU/l). Serum thyroxine levels (57-133 nmol/l) were normal but six patients had elevated basal thyrotrophin (TSH) levels (6-9 mU/l) and seven had an exaggerated TSH response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone, indicating radiation-induced damage to the thyroid. Amenorrhea developed within 3 months of irradiation in all females and oestradiol levels were low, at 37-108 pmol/l (mean 58 +/- 22 pmol/l). Severe oligospermia or azoospermia was noted in men tested 5-70 months after irradiation and testicular volume was below the normal adult range in five of seven men assessed. Serum testosterone levels (12.4-35 nmol/l) were normal. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-stimulated gonadotrophin levels were elevated in all patients. However, two men have fathered two children each; one has refused semen analysis, but the other has a sperm count of 7 x 10(6)/ml (60 per cent motile, 20 per cent abnormal forms) 70 months after irradiation. When given by the above fractionated regimens, the endocrine sequelae of total body irradiation are limited to gonadal failure requiring oestrogen replacement in women and severe impairment of fertility in men. Subclinical thyroid dysfunction has been seen in 39 per cent of patients there is no evidence of direct damage to the hypothalamic pituitary axis.     

C-肽、皮质醇和甲状腺激素在判断脑外伤预后中的作用

目的 :评价C 肽、皮质醇和甲状腺激素在急性脑外伤伤情判断和预后预测中的作用。方法 :急性脑外伤患者 74例 ,对照 35例 ,分别测定血清中各有关激素含量。采用多因素Logistic回归分析方法分析其与伤情和预后的关系。结果 :伤后 12h内的C 肽和 3日时的rT3 与伤情关系密切 ;3日时的皮质醇 (COR)和C 肽则对预后的预测意义重大 ,并分别建立了回归方程。结论 :借助于多因素分析方法只需测定个别激素指标即可对伤情和预后作出判断 ,并且C 肽的监测意义亦较大     

急性心肌梗死患者血清激素水平的变化及其临床意义

本文测定了21例急性心肌梗死（AMI）患者的血清甲状腺激素，胰岛素、胰高糖素、皮质醇、胃泌素和催乳素浓度并与正常对照组相比较，结果发现，AMI患者血清T3明显降低（P＜0．001），并与皮质醇浓度升高有显著的相关性（P＜0．05），T4，TSH无明显变化（P＞0．05）；胰高糖素、胃泌素、催乳素、皮质醇浓度均有意义地升高（P＜0．001），胰岛素无变化（P＞0.05）。有并发症的AMI组与无并发症AMI组两者相比，前者T3更降低（P＜0．01），说明AMI低T3与病变程度的预后有关。这些激素变化的可能机制是AMI在应激状态下机体的防御保护性反应。     

新疆地区白癜风患者甲状腺功能的检测

目的检测新疆地区白癜风患者甲状腺功能。方法采用化学发光法对764例白癜风患者进行血清三碘甲状腺原氨酸(T3)、甲状腺素(T4)、游离T3(fT3)、游离T4(fT4)、促甲状腺激素(TSH)、抗甲状腺过氧化酶抗体(TPOAb)、抗甲状球蛋白抗体(TGAb)检测,并将结果与参考区间比较。结果 505例女性患者中,T3升高者51例(10.1%)、T4升高者53例(10.5%)、fT3升高者31例(6.1%)、fT4升高者18例(3.6%)、TSH升高者137例(27.1%),T3降低者38例(7.5%)、T4降低者17例(3.4%)、fT3降低者129例(25.5%)、fT4降低者104例(20.6%)、TSH降低者32例(6.3%),2种自身抗体均升高者78例(15.4%)。259例男性患者中,T3升高者23例(8.9%)、T4升高者19例(7.3%)、fT3升高者11例(4.2%)、fT4升高者5例(1.9%)、TSH升高者29例(11.2%),T3降低者11例(4.2%)、T4降低者9例(3.5%)、fT3降低者63例(24.3%)、fT4降低者31例(12%)、TSH降低者9例(3.5%),2种自身抗体均升高者14例(5.4%)。结论部分白癜风患血清甲状腺功能指标及甲状腺自身抗体水平存在不同程度的异常,且女性异常率高于男性;甲状腺功能异常与白癜风发病有关,女性更为明显。     

冀中南地区妊娠期妇女血清甲状腺激素参考区间研究

目的：建立冀中南地区不同孕期妇女甲状腺激素参考区间。方法选取2011年1月至2012年8月于本院就诊的9721例妊娠妇女纳入本研究,其中孕早期2309例,平均年龄（27．8±3．7）岁;孕中期4364例,平均年龄（28．0±3．6）岁;孕晚期3048例,平均年龄（28．0±3．7）岁。分析所有入组对象血清促甲状腺激素（TSH）、游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸（fT3）、游离甲状腺素（fT4）水平,并建立各孕期参考区间。结果TSH数据为非正态分布,需将其进行平方根转换为正态分布。两独立样本均数比较的 t检验结果显示,不同孕期妇女血清TSH、fT3和fT4比较差异均有统计学意义（P＜0．05）,TSH水平随孕期增长呈上升趋势,fT3、fT4水平则呈下降趋势。根据95％置信区间所建立的不同孕期各指标的参考区间之间及其与试剂盒标称参考区间之间存在一定的差异。结论本研究结果能够为建立冀中南地区不同孕期妇女甲状腺激素水平参考区间提供依据,有助于正确评价妊娠期妇女的甲状腺功能。     

Activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to septic or non-septic diseases – implications for the euthyroid sick syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cytokine release or activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is predominantly involved in the development of the euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Intensive care unit at a tertiary care medical center in Germany. PATIENTS: Nine patients with sepsis of different causes and eight patients with acute myocardial infarction. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Immediately on admission and on day 7 the following parameters were determined: total thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (T3), thyrotropin (TSH), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-2 (IL-2), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), serum cortisol and plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). On admission, concentrations of all thyroid hormones and TSH were significantly lower in septic patients compared to non-septic patients, whereas all cytokines except IL-2 were significantly elevated in the sepsis group. By contrast, there was no difference in serum cortisol and plasma ACTH levels between the two groups. On day 7, T4 and T3 were still lower in the septic group, whereas IL-1 beta, sIL-2R and IL-6 were still elevated. Again, no differences were found with regard to cortisol and ACTH levels. CONCLUSIONS: Euthyroid sick syndrome occurs very early during the course of septic diseases. Significantly decreased levels of total T4, FT4, T3 and TSH in septic patients suggest central suppression of TSH as well as inhibition of thyroid hormone release in ESS. The HPA axis is activated in septic patients and in non-septic patients and does not contribute to the development of ESS.     

Neuroendocrine disorders in brain-dead donors at the time of multiorgan harvesting]

Changes in the level of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), somatotropic hormone (STH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin (PL), thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) have been assessed before and during multiorgan excision in 22 donors with brain death. A progressing decrease in ADH blood supply and changes in ACTH, STH, FSH and PL content have been recorded. No regularities have been observed in LH level changes. TSH and thyroid hormone changes were in most cases characterized by a gradual decrease in their plasma levels. A drop in T3 concentration observed at the initial stage of the study was most pronounced with practically normal T4 and TBG values, that also decreased by the moment of heart excision. It has been concluded that brain death is accompanied by a considerable neuroendocrine disfunction and a marked syndrome of low T3 content.     

Endocrine measurements in survivors and non-survivors from critical illness

OBJECTIVE: To compare measurements of thyroid and adrenal function between survivors and non-survivors in critical illness. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, observational study at the medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland. PATIENTS: 163 patients admitted to the intensive care unit over a 4-month period. INTERVENTIONS: We took blood samples within 1 h of ICU admission, and at 08:00 hours on the subsequent 2 days of ICU admission. We measured serum total (TT(4)) and free (fT(4)) thyroxine, total (TT(3)) and free (fT(3)) tri-iodothyronine, thyrotropin (TSH) and plasma cortisol concentrations. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: TT(3) and TT(4) concentrations were significantly less in non-survivors than in survivors on admission and on day 1 but not on day 2. Cortisol concentrations were higher in non-survivors on admission and on day 1 but not on day 2. TSH, fT(3) and fT(4) concentrations did not differ significantly between survivors and non-survivors at any time. Only TT(4) and cortisol were independent predictors of outcome. Prediction of outcome from the admission sample values was not better than using APACHE II scoring. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid hormone and cortisol concentrations differ between survivors and non-survivors on admission to intensive care, but the values overlap. These differences do not allow accurate prediction of outcome from critical illness.     

体外循环心脏手术对机体甲状腺素代谢的影响及其临床意义

目的：明确体外循环心脏手术对机体甲状腺素代谢的影响并探讨其临床意义。方法：随机选择２１例体外循环心脏病人,用放免法分别于术前,术后２、２４、４８ｈ、第七天测定血浆Ｔ３、Ｔ４、ＦＴ３、ＦＴ４、ｒＴ３,ＴＳＨ的含量。结果：Ｔ３、Ｔ４、术中明显下降,术后２ｈ开始上升,至术后第七天基本恢复正常（Ｐ〈０．００１）。ＦＴ３、ＦＴ４术中无明显改变,术后２４ｈ明显下降,于术后第七天仍未恢复（Ｐ〈０．０５）。ｒＴ３     

Resistance to thyroid hormone

Resistance to thyroid hormone is a syndrome involving reduced responsiveness of target tissues to thyroid hormone. Most cases involve mutations of the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene. Since many patients demonstrate tachycardia, goiter and elevated serum thyroid hormone levels, some patients have been misdiagnosed with Graves' disease, and nearly one third of patients are being treated inappropriately. It is important to keep this diagnosis in mind when a patient with elevated thyroid hormone level accompanied by normal or slightly increased TSH levels (SITSH) is encountered. Therapy with TRIAC has been used in several patients.     

甲状腺自身抗体在白癜风诊治中的应用价值

目的研究甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体（ATA）和甲状腺球蛋白抗体（抗-Tg）在白癜风诊治中的应用价值。方法选择100例（男52例,女48例）白癜风患者和80例健康人（男38例,女42例）为研究对象,排除甲状腺疾病、甲状腺手术及接受甲状腺药物治疗的患者。2组对象的性别和年龄相当。所有对象都接受问卷调查,内容包括人口统计学资料,甲状腺疾病相关症状,皮肤表现和甲状腺功能检测结果。甲状腺功能检测项目包括促甲状腺激素（TSH）、游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸（fT3）、游离甲状腺素（fT4）和ATA、抗-Tg。结果白癜风患者23例（23％）血清ATA升高,11例（11％）血清抗-Tg升高;而对照组只有5例血清（6．3％）ATA升高,3例（3．8％）血清抗-Tg升高,病例组与对照组差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。病例组血清TSH水平为（1．59&#177;1．25）U／L,对照组血清TSH水平为（1．14&#177;1．08）U／L,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。亚分组分析显示,性别、年龄和皮肤受累范围等与血清ATA、抗-Tg阳性率相关性的差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。白癜风的病程及其类型与ATA及抗Tg阳性率不具有相关性。此外,病例组与对照组血清fT3、fT4水平的差异亦无统计学意义。结论血清ATA和抗Tg可作为女性白癜风患者诊断和疗效观察的标志物,对血清ATA和抗-Tg水平升高的女性白癜风患者定期进行随访并检测甲状腺功能显得尤为重要。     

Thyrotropin-induced hyperthyroidism caused by selective pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone. A new syndrome of "inappropriate secretion of TSH".

An 18-yr-old woman with clinical and laboratory features of hyperthyroidism had persistently elevated serum levels of immunoreative thyrotropin (TSH). During 11 yr of follow-up there had been no evidence of a pituitary tumor. After thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), there was a marked increase in TSH and secondarily in triiodothyronine (T3), the latter observation confirming the biologic activity of the TSH. Exogenous T3 raised serum T3 and several measurements of peripheral thyroid hormone effect, while decreasing serum TSH, thyroxine (T4), and thyroidal radioiodine uptake. After T3, the TRH-stimulated TSH response was decreased but was still inappropriate for the elevated serum T3 levels. Dexamethasone reduced serum TSH but did not inhibit TRH stimulation of TSH. Propylthiouracil reduced serum T4 and T3 and raised TSH. This patient represents a new syndrome of TSH-induced hyperthyroidism, differing from previous reports in the absence of an obvious pituitary tumor and in the responsiveness of the TSH to TRH stimulation and thyroid hormone suppression. This syndrome appears to be caused by a selective, partial resistance of the pituitary to the action of thyroid hormone. This case is also compared with previous reports in the literature of patients with elevated serum levels of immunoreactive TSH in the presence of elevated total and free thyroid hormones. A classification of these cases, termed "inappropriate secretion of TSH," is proposed.     

Population-specific reference values for thyroid hormones on the Abbott ARCHITECT i2000 analyzer.

Reliable reference ranges are important in the interpretation of laboratory data, and it is incumbent on each laboratory to verify that the ranges they use are appropriate for the patient population they serve. The objective of this study was to determine population-specific reference ranges for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3) and total triiodothyronine (TT3) on the Abbott ARCHITECT 12000 analyzer. For this study, we used human serum samples collected from a population in Castilla y León, Spain. Serum samples were collected from 304 individuals (male, n = 151; female, n = 153; age 12-94 years) representing outpatients (n=100), hospitalized patients (n = 104) and apparently healthy subjects (n = 100). Individuals taking any medications, with a history of thyroid disorder, or severe non-thyroidal illness were excluded from the study. For healthy subjects, the following reference intervals were determined: TSH, 0.51-5.95 mlU/l; fT4, 0.84-1.42 ng/dl (10.77- 18.21 pmol/l); fT3, 1.48-3.37 pg/ml (2.27-5.18 pmol/l); and TT3, 0.65-1.46 ng/ml (1.00-2.24 nmol/l). In this group, TSH and fT4 showed significant differences between men and women, but fT3 and TT3 did not. Conversely, fT3 and TT3 showed significant age-related differences, but TSH and fT4 did not. Within the outpatient group, no significant differences were seen between men and women for any of the hormones, but age-related differences were significant for fT3 and TT3. Within the hospitalized patient group, significant differences between men and women were found for TSH only, and age-related differences were significant for TSH, fT3 and TT3. Our findings are basically in accordance with previously published results for fT3, TT3 and TSH, but for fT4 our results differ from other data in the literature. This highlights the need for laboratories to confirm that the reference ranges they use are appropriate for the population they serve.     

The nocturnal serum thyrotropin surge is inhibited in patients with adrenal incidentaloma.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary function have been described in patients with incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas and have been attributed to their subtle hypercortisolemic status. METHODS: To establish whether the central control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis is altered in these endocrine conditions, the nocturnal (10:30 PM-2:00 AM) serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) surge (measured by dividing the difference between nighttime and morning TSH values by the morning TSH value and then multiplying by 100), the TSH response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (200 microg as an intravenous bolus) and serum free thyroid hormone levels were evaluated in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (experimental group) and in normal controls (control group). Urinary free cortisol concentrations were also measured. RESULTS: The nocturnal TSH surge was observed in the normal controls, whereas it was inhibited in the patients of the experimental group. Serum free triiodothyronine levels were similar in the two groups, whereas the TSH response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone was significantly lower in the experimental than in the control group. Urinary free cortisol levels were significantly higher in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that even conditions of slight glucocorticoid excess may exert inhibitory effects on TSH secretion, which suggests the presence of a slight central hypothyroidism in patients with adrenal incidentaloma.     

Schilddrüsenautonomie: Gibt es eine "Organhyperthyreose" bei "euthyreoten" Patienten?

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Gegenwärtig kennen wir zwei verschiedene Formen der Hyperthyreose, und zwar die klassische oder manifeste und die subklinische oder latente Hyperthyreose, und orientieren uns dabei sowohl an einer entsprechenden hyperthyreoten Symptomatik als auch an pathologischen Laborwerten für FT3, FT4 und TSH basal. Ziel: Wir beschreiben eine neue Form der Hyperthyreose, für die wir die Bezeichnung "Organhyperthyreose" vorschlagen und die sich durch eine meist milde hyperthyreote Symptomatik bei nachgewiesener Schilddrüsenautonomie, jedoch nicht durch pathologische Laborwerte für FT3, FT4 und auch TSH basal auszeichnet. Patienten und Methoden: An insgesamt 33 Patienten mit nuklearmedizinisch nachgewiesener Schilddrüsenautonomie wurde ein Vergleich der vorhandenen hyperthyreosetypischen Symptomatik bzw. Untersuchungsbefunde mit den entsprechenden Laborwerten durchgeführt. Hierzu wurde in zwei Gruppen unterteilt: 19 Patienten mit normalen Werten für FT3, FT4 und TSH wurden der Gruppe mit einer "Organhyperthyreose" zugeordnet, als Kontrolle dienten 14 Patienten mit einer latenten Hyperthyreose bei erniedrigtem oder supprimiertem TSH basal. Ergebnisse: Die Symptomatologie in beiden Gruppen war statistisch signifikant nicht voneinander verschieden, wobei insgesamt nur milde Symptome einer Hyperthyreose beobachtet wurden. Entsprechend der Symptomatik wurden die therapeutischen Optionen mit den Patienten erörtert. Eine Falldarstellung beschreibt eine Patientin, bei der eine Alkoholobliteration eines autonomen Adenoms durchgeführt wurde. Schlußfolgerung: Eine Schilddrüsenautonomie führt bei Patienten mit Normalwerten für FT3, FT4 und TSH zu einer vermehrten Bioverfügbarkeit von Schilddrüsenhormonen an verschiedenen Organen. Wir erklären dies durch eine vermehrte T4-Produktionsrate mit vermehrter Konversion zu thyreomimetisch aktiven Jodthyroninen, die in peripheren Organen eine Hyperthyreose hervorrufen, die Hypophyse aber aussparen können. Die Therapie richtet sich, wie bei der latenten Hyperthyreose, vorzugsweise nach der Klinik und den Bedürfnissen des Patienten. Abstract Background: Classic thyrotoxicosis is defined as the clinical syndrome of hypermetabolism that results when concentrations of serum free thyroxine (fT4), serum free triiodthyronine (fT3), or both are increased and serum level of TSH is suppressed. The term of subclinical thyrotoxicosis refers to a usually asymptomatic state associated with normal serum fT4 and fT3 and low serum TSH concentrations. Aim: We describe a new entity of thyrotoxicosis under the term of "organ-selective thyrotoxicosis". This refers to patients with mild clinical symptoms of thyrotoxicosis and with a non-suppressible thyroid toxic adenomas and normal serum concentrations of fT4, fT3 and TSH. Patients and Methods: We compared symptoms and clinical signs of thyrotoxicosis with serum levels of fT4, fT3 and TSH in 33 patients with toxic adenomas. These patients were divided into 2 groups, 19 patients had normal concentrations of serum fT3, fT4 and TSH belonging to the group of "organ-selective thyrotoxicosis", 14 patients with subclinical thyrotoxicosis were in the control group. Results: In both groups, mild symptoms of thyrotoxicosis were apparent but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups detectable. Therapeutic options were discussed with the patients referring to their symptoms. We describe 1 case of a female patient, in which we carried out an alcohol obliteration of a single toxic adenoma. Conclusion: Biological availability of thyroid hormones in patients with toxic adenomas might be elevated in selected organs although serum levels of fT4, fT3 and TSH are normal. This might be due to an increased production rate of T4 on the one hand and a specific peripheral T4/T3 conversion rate on the other hand. This might lead to an organ-selective thyrotoxicosis in the periphery without concerning the thyrotroph, so that TSH stays within the normal range. Necessity of therapeutic interventions depend on clinical signs and symptoms.     

Transient hyperthyroidism after total parathyroidectomy for tertiary hyperparathyroidism: A report of two cases

Surgical removal of enlarged parathyroid glands is the treatment of choice in most cases of tertiary renal hyperparathyroidism. Complications of this surgical procedure are rare. We report two cases of patients who developed acute hyperthyroidism after total parathyroidectomy with parathyroid autotransplantation for refractory tertiary hyperparathyroidism. The patients had no history or biochemical or radiologic evidence of thyroid disease. They were not taking drugs affecting thyroid function. Thyroid function (thyroid stimulating hormone, free T(3) and free T(4)) was measured preoperatively, immediately after surgery and again three months later. Total parathyroidectomy was successful in both patients. Circulating levels of parathyroid hormone were at the lower limit of normal values. Postoperative thyroid function tests demonstrated acute hyperthyroidism with a rapid increase in free T(3) and T(4) levels above normal and a drop in thyroid stimulating hormone below normal in both patients. The course of hyperthyroidism was short (normalization of fT(3) and fT(4) values within 14-21 days). Neither patient had symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. Transient hyperthyroidism may be an under-recognized complication of total parathyroidectomy for tertiary hyperparathyroidism. These patients should be monitored with thyroid function tests and assessed for clinical signs attributable to thyrotoxicosis.