Thyroid function in leprosy

Thyroid function tests were carried out in 43 cases of leprosy. The study subjects included cases of tuberculoid, borderline and lepromatous leprosy and those with lepra reaction. The parameters studied included serum cholesterol, protein bound Iodine, serum T3 level and serum T4 levels. The levels of serum cholesterol and protein bound Iodine were normal in all the four groups of leprosy patients. However, the mean serum T3 and T4 were low in all the four groups. The difference in the levels of serum T3 was statistically significant only in the lepra reaction group. The levels of T4 were statistically significantly decreased in borderline leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and in lepra reaction.