The effect of body temperature on thyroid hormone levels in patients with non-thyroidal illness

During studies on the mechanism underlying the low serum T3 levels in euthyroid patients with various acute and chronic non-thyroidal illnesses, it became evident that body temperature may be one parameter associated with changes in serum T3 levels. Forty-nine hospitalized, euthyroid patients with h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inActa medica Scandinavica Vol. 202; no. 6; p. 459
Main Authors Ljunggren, J G, Kallner, G, Tryselius, M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Sweden 01.01.1977
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Body Temperature
Female
Fever - blood
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Thyroid Hormones - blood
Thyrotropin - blood
Thyroxine - blood
Triiodothyronine - blood
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Summary:During studies on the mechanism underlying the low serum T3 levels in euthyroid patients with various acute and chronic non-thyroidal illnesses, it became evident that body temperature may be one parameter associated with changes in serum T3 levels. Forty-nine hospitalized, euthyroid patients with hyperpyrexia caused by various non-thyroidal illnesses were studied. The levels of serum T3 were found to decrease gradually with increasing body temperature. T3 was already below the normal level +/- 2 S.D. at a body temperature of around 38 degrees C. Such low T3 levels as were seen at temperatures of above 40 degrees C are observed in thyroid patients only during severe hypothyroidism. The levels of T4 and TSH remained unchanged and within the normal range regardless of body temperature. The levels of reverse-T3 in the sera analyzed were found to be unchanged in some cases, while in others they paralleled body temperature. It is concluded that the body temperature must be taken into consideration when studying the serum levels of T3.
ISSN:0001-6101
DOI:10.1111/j.0954-6820.1977.tb16865.x