Abstract
To clarify the clinical significance of the serum 3, 5, 3'-triiodothyronine (T3) level in NIDDM on diets containing 200-300 g carbohydrate, the relationship between the T3 level and other conventional parameters was studied in 79 non-insulin-dependent diabetic inpatients. Furthermore, in 65 of these patients, the relationship between T3 leval and the efficacy of diet therapy was analyzed retrospectively. Results were as follows:
1) In the 79 patients, the T3 level was significantly correlated with the duration of diabetes (r=-0.28), fasting plasma glucose (r=-0.37), HbA1c (r=-0.28), body mass index (r=0.48), NEFA (r=0.40), T4 (r=0.32) and 24-hour urinary C-peptide excretion (r=0.35).
2) The 65 patients were divided into two groups according to the results of diet therapy: Group D (n=29), whose glycemic control was achieved by diet therapy alone, and Group D+M (n=36), whose glycemic control required medication. In Group D, T3 levels were more than 110ng/dl in 90% of the patients, but in Group D+M, T3 levels were less than 110 ng/dl in 64% of the patients. Accordingly, the distribution of T3 levels between the two groups was statistically different (χ2= 17.0, p<0.001).
In conclusion, the serum T3 level reflects overall metabolic derangement in NIDDM, and its measurement enables us to predict the efficacy of diet therapy.
