Epidermal growth factor in blood and urine of athyreotic adults

The total contribution of the thyroid to epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels in blood and urine was determined in 18 patients cured from thyroid cancer at the time of thyroxine treatment and 6 weeks off it in the state of athyroidism. As compared to the euthyroid state, the athyrodism was associated with a drop in the urinary EGF excretion from 24.8 +/- 8.4 to 11.8 +/- 4.6 ng/mg creatinine (p less than 0.0001) and some increase in the EGF level in blood serum from 159.5 +/- 55.0 to 191.2 +/- 41.0 pM (p = 0.023). We conclude that the thyroid affects the synthesis and/or blood delivery of EGF and is responsible for approximately one half of its urinary excretion.