The Effect of Large Doses of Desiccated Thyroid on the Distribution and Metabolism of Albumin-I131 in Euthyroid Subjects1

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Abstract
Methods are described for the quantitative evaluation of albumin degradation and albumin synthesis under nonsteady state conditions. The distribution and metabolism of albumin-I131 were studied in 9 subjects before and after the administration of large doses of desiccated thyroid. Clinical and laboratory evidence of hypermetabolism developed during thyroid administration in all subjects. There was a decline in total serum protein concentration in all subjects with a fall in both albumin and globulin fractions. The total intravascular albumin remained essentially unchanged due to a concomitant increase in plasma volume. The fractional rate and absolute amount of albumin degraded daily increased in all subjects. However, augmented albumin synthesis resulted in only a small loss of total exchangeable albumin. This loss was sustained almost entirely by extravascular sites.