Abstract
The peripheral metabolism of T4 has been noted to be altered in a number of non-thyroidal illnesses. The known relationship of thyroid hormones and oxygen consumption led to these studies investigating the effects of hypoxia on peripheral metabolism of T4, T4, T3, rT3 and TSH levels were determined in patients with status asthmaticus and eyanotic heart disease, none of whom were cachectic or malnourished. Mean results are tabulated below.
There was a significant decrease in T3 levels with a significant increase in rT3 in the patients with chronic hypoxia. Even hypoxia of short duration caused a significant increase in rT3. T4 levels were also lower in the chronic hypoxic group. These data are similar to the findings obtained during catabolic non-thyroidal illnesses. These alterations in thyroid function tests may reflect an adaptive phenomenon at the cellular level, i.e., a protective mechanism which can divert T4 to rT3, or conversely, as during cold exposure, can increase production of T3. In light of these data correlating hypoxia and thyroid hormones, the suggestions that the low thyroid function levels in RDS infants may be etiologically related to RDS may need to be reevaluated.
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Chance, K., Kaplan, M., Moshang, T. et al. 288 THE EFFECT OF HYPOXIA ON PERIPHERAL METABOLISM OF THYROXINE. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 411 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00293
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00293