Elevated thyroxine and free thyroxine in euthyroid patients: familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia

An eleven year old male was evaluated because of persistent elevation of thyroxine levels and elevated thyroxine index calculated as "T7" but normal thyrotropin levels. The findings were demonstrated by thyroxine binding protein electrophoresis to be due to aberrant thyroxine binding to albumin. The abnormality was also documented in the patient's father. This entity, known as familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia, is being reported with increasing frequency and should be suspected when elevated total thyroxine and free thyroxine or "T7" levels are associated with a normal thyrotropin level. The case reported is somewhat unusual in that the triiodothyronine affinity of the aberrant protein appears to be more pronounced than usually reported with this syndrome and the corresponding total triiodothyronine level was significantly elevated.