Thyroid function and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Thyroid function was evaluated in 16 patients with end-stage renal failure, 8 treated by maintenance haemodialysis (HD) and 8 by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and compared with 8 healthy subjects. Serum total thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were low in both groups (p less than 0.01) with T3 significantly lower in the CAPD than the HD group (p less than 0.01). Serum-free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations were low in CAPD patients with respect to normal (p less than 0.01). Basal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations did not differ significantly from normal but the TSH responses to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone were depressed in both groups. While CAPD may improve control of some biochemical and haematological parameters as compared with HD, it does not have a beneficial effect on thyroid function.