RECIPROCAL CHANGES IN T3 AND RT3 SERUM CONCENTRATIONS IN DIGESTIVE DISEASES RESULTING IN CHILDHOOD PROTEIN-CALORIE MALNUTRITION

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (5) , 371-378
Abstract
In 14 children affected by digestive diseases producing protein-calorie malnutrition T3 [triiodothyronine] and r[reverse]T3, T4 [thyroxine] TSH [thyrotropin] serum levels and TBG [thyroxine binding globulin] and TBPA [thyroxine binding pre-albumin] maximum binding capacity [cap] were measured at the moment of the hospitalization and up to their clinical and biochemical amelioration. No changes in serum T4 and [thyrotropin] levels and in TBGcap values were detected. TBPAcap was persistently low. At the moment of the hospitalization serum T3 and rT3 average values were found to be 65 .+-. 25 ng/dl and 58 .+-. 25 ng/dl, respectively. Opposite changes in serum concentrations of the triiodothyronines were observed at the moment of the interruption of the study; T3 values were 200 .+-. 64 ng/dl and rT3 value 25 .+-. 16 ng/dl. T4 deiodination may be a homeostatic process and its preferential conversion to either activating (T3) or inactivating (rT3) pathways is related to the state of the organism.