IS OLEIC ACID THE THYROXINE BINDING INHIBITOR IN THE SERUM OF ILL PATIENTS?

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Abstract
The possibility that oleic acid is the thyroxine binding inhibitor in the serum of seriously ill patients was investigated. 3H‐Oleic acid was shown to bind directly to human thyroxine‐binding globulin (TBG) by the techniques of one and two‐dimensional immunoelectrophoresis in combination with autoradiography. However, no correlation was seen between serum thyroxine concentration and oleic acid concentration in two groups of patients, one of which underwent routine cholecystectomy, whilst the other group was admitted to an intensive therapy unit (mortality 75%). No correlation was seen between serum total thyroxine concentration and either stearic, palmitic, linoleic or arachidonic acid concentrations in these groups. Therefore, it was concluded that oleic acid was unlikely to be the circulating inhibitor of thyroxine binding.