Thyroid function and antibody studies in pernicious anaemia

Thyroid antibodies were demonstrated in 57% of thirty pernicious anaemia patients without overt thyroid disease. Elevated basal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and an enhaced TSH response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) only occurred in thyroid antibody positive subjects; by contrast the thyroid antibody negative subjects in the older age group frequently and undetecable basal TSH levels and an impaired TRH response. Thyroid hormone concentrations provided no absolute evidence of hypothyroidism in any of the patients.