Abstract
It was suspected by clinical experience that there were some relationships between chronic tonsillitis and thyroid gland. However, the experimental studies about this relationships were not clearly made, because of concerning many factors among both organs.
As the central endocrine systems of thyroid gland, it is considered that there are two systems such as a humoral conduction by thalamushypophyseal system and a condution by sympathetic nervous system. On the other hand, the surrounding tissue of tonsil and the tonsil itself are innervated by the branch of cervical sympathetic nervous plexus, so that it is considered that a ninflammation of tonsil has some relation to the function of thyroid gland through the sympathetic system. Therefore, this study was done to clarify the relationship between chronic tonsillitis and the thyroid function by the investigation of the thyroidgland before and after the tonsillectomy in the patients with chronic tonsillitis.
The measurement of 131I-Triiodothyronine resin sponge uptake value (131I-T3RSU) and basal metabolic rate was made for the functional test of thyroid gland. The measurement of total amount of catecholamine in urine (T. H. I. method by Bertler) and Mecholyl test was measured as an index of the function of sympathetic nervous system. Thirty-two patients with chronic tonsillitis were examined in this study. These patients were tested in the time of preoperation and observed for the period of 5 months after the tonsillectomy.
The results were as follows:
1) Thyroid function due to 131I-T3RSU in the patients with chronic tonsillitis was found in nearly normal range (32.5±2.5%). Total cathecolamine were 10μg lower than normal value.
2) The highest value of 131I-T3RSU was found in N type (intermediate group) of Mecholyl test. The lowest value of 131I-T3RSU was found in S type (sympathetic hyperreactor).
3) As the degree of enlargement of tonsil, the function of thyroid and total value of cathecolamine showed the lowering tendency.
4) According to the continous studies for the period of 5 months after operation, thyroid function showed three types: increase, unchange, and decrease type. There was the positive correlation between thyroid function and adrenaline, but noradrenaline showed an inclination of increase after operation.
5) An enlargement of circumference of neck was found in 16 of 32 patients after the tonsillectomy. By the tonsillectomy, in the patients associated with swelling of thyroid gland, the swelling had become to diminish soon after and completely disappeared after 4 months.
