Nonthyroidal illness: studies on chronic liver diseases

Abstract

Serum concentrations of various thyroid parameters were measured in 10 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 23 with chronic aggressive hepatitis (CAH), 26 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 14 nornal controls. Serum thyrotropin (TSH) and triiodothyronine (T₃) responses to synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, 500μg i.v.) were evaluated. I, The mean free thyroxine (FT₄) value was significantly lower only in patients with LC. The mean free triiodothyronine (TF₃) values were significantly reduced in patients with CPH, CAH and LC in the order. And the values of FT₄ and FT₃ were correlated with those of ICG_R15 (%), prothrombin time (%) and serum albumin respectively. Therefore the level of FT, seems to indicate the degree of liver damage. II. In TRH test, the differences in the maximal increase of TSH above the baseline (ΔTSH) among four groups were not significant. But the patients with LC showed abnormally low serum T₃ responses to TRH. That suggests liver-thyroid functional relationship.