[Treatment of hypothyroidism with L-thyroxine]

To compare the efficiency of the desiccated pork thyroid preparation-Thyreoideum (Polfa) with the L-thyroxine (Eltroxin-Glaxo) in the treatment of hypothyroidism 15 patients were investigated. In all cases before and after the treatment ECG, serum cholesterol, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), thyrotropin (TSH) in response to TRH were measured. After the Thyreoideum (Polfa) in doses of 0.2-0.6 mg/daily treatment neither clinical improvement nor normalization of serum cholesterol, T4, T3 and TSH were observed. After the L-thyroxine treatment in doses of 100-200 micrograms/daily in all 15 patients with hypothyroidism the regression of clinical signs of hypothyroidism and statistically significant increase in voltage of R and T waves in ECG and significant decrease in serum cholesterol, T4 and T3 were found. Also serum TSH concentration in basal conditions and in response to TRH after the L-thyroxine treatment were found. L-thyroxine but not desiccated pork thyroid preparation (Thyroideum-Polfa) appeared to be highly efficacious in the treatment of the primary as well as secondary hypothyroidism.