Study of thyroid functions in protein energy malnutrition

Thyroid functions were studied in eight children suffering from PEM. The assessment of thyroid functions were done by measuring serum T3 and T4 levels by radioimmunoassay. Both T3 and T4 levels in serum were significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced in PEM as compared to normal healthy children. These results suggest that thyroid functions are affected in PEM. The impairment of such functions may possibly be due to a deficiency of protein or to a blockade in the incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone at some stage after iodide transport into the gland. The possibility of alteration of some biochemical or metabolic changes induced by PEM during biosynthesis of thyroid hormones cannot be excluded.