Effect of thyroid hormones on stress ulcer formation

Stress ulcers are gastric mucosal lesions that may cause life-threatening upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Although it is known that hyperthyroid status prevents stress ulcer formation, the effect of thyroid hormones given just as the stress is beginning has not been studied. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of thyroid hormone supplementation on gastric stress ulcers at the beginning of the restraint stress.

Thyroid hormones were administered to rats 2 days before or at the beginning of the restraint stress. The linear length of the gastric mucosal lesions, mucosal pH and thyroid hormone levels were measured and histopathological examinations were carried out.

It was found that both triiodothyronin and thyroxin reduce the length and depth of the stress ulcers (P < 0.001).

Although the mechanisms by which the thyroid hormones act on stress ulcers are uncertain, current experimental studies suggest that thyroid hormones reduce the formation of stress ulcers in rats when given before or at the beginning of the stress.