[Changes in the hypophyseal-thyroid axis and their prognostic value in sepsis]

The alterations in serum concentration of thyroxine (T4), tri-iodine-thyronine (T3), reverse tri-iodinetiroinine (rT3), thyrotropine (TSH and free thyroxine index (IT4L), are studied in 37 patients diagnosed of sepsis who were divided into two groups according to their evolution: Group A: 22 patients who evolved favourably, and Group B: 15 patients who died, as well as in 14 healthy controls; this was carried out in order to establish, on one hand, its prognostic value, and, on the other, which of these parameters is most useful in the evaluation of thyroid function in these patients. A decrease in serum T3 levels was observed in patients from both groups (p less than 0.001) which was accompanied by an increase in rT3 levels (p less than 0.001) and a decrease in It4L (p less than 0.001); No significant modifications were observed in T4 and TSH. On follow up of 12 patients from group A and 14 from group B, an increase in mean T3 concentration was observed (p less than 0.02) only in the first patient from both groups. The greatest discriminative efficacy of thyroid hormones study with an unfavorable sepsis evolution corresponded to a T3 value below 35 ng/dl.