THYROXINE METABOLISM IN UNTREATED AND TREATED PANCREATIC STEATORRHEA*

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Abstract
Paired studies of the kinetics of thyroxine metabolism in 8 patients with well documented treated and untreated pancreatic steatorrhea revealed no significant difference in the fractional rate of removal of I131 -labeled thyroxine from the circulation in the volume of distribution of hormone, in its rate of clearance from the circulation, or in its over-all degradation. The partition of radioactivity between urine and feces also did not differ in treated and untreated states. However, fecal excretion of organic iodine was somewhat reduced after treatment in 6 of the 8 patients. Of significance was the finding that fractional rates of hormonal turnover, total daily degradation, and fecal losses of hormone were excessive when compared with normal values in both treated and untreated states. Net peripheral tissue turnover, however, was within the normal range; thus, the production of thyroxine by the thyroid gland must increase in response to the fecal loss.