Thyroid function in leukaemia patients after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

The thyroid function of 29 patients who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation preceded by total body irradiation was followed closely during four weeks after transplantation. Twenty patients showed a marked decrease of T3 and TSH levels, whereas T4 fluctuated. Long-term follow up from three to five years of the surviving 16 patients revealed a restoration of the T3 levels to normal, a slight increase in T4 levels and a doubling of the TSH levels. This indicates the necessity of a higher pituitary drive to maintain euthyroidism. One patient developed hypothyroidism.