HEMATOLOGY OF HYPER-THYROIDISM

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (185) , 35-47
Abstract
In an unselected series of 239 patients with uncomplicated hyperthryoidism the Hb concentration was less than 12.0 g/dl in 37 of 207 women and below 13.0 g/dl in 9 of 32 men. Although some of these patients with a low level of Hb were Fe deficient, with a transferrin saturation less than 16%, many were not. On treatment of hyperthyroidism the Hb rose by an average of 0.5 g/dl in patients who had not been anemic on diagnosis. A small fall in Hb is therefore usual in hyperthyroidism and it may sometimes be sufficient to cause a mild degree of anemia. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was decreased in hyperthyroid patients who had neither anemia nor a reduced transferrin saturation. After treatment of hyperthyroidism the MCV rose in these patients by an average of 6 fl. A dimunition in MCV, even within the normal range, is an invariable concomitant of hyperthyroidism. The administration of thyroxine to excess does not, however, cause the same change in the MCV. On diagnosis of hyperthyroidism the prevalence of pernicious anemia in this series of patients was 1.9%. Gastric parietal cell antibodies were present in 15.4% and thyroid microsomal antibodies in 49.5%.

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