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Assessment of the thyroid function of patients undergoing regular haemodialysis
E Goffin1, D B Oliveria, P Raggatt
1Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, UK.
Abstract:
Thyroid function has been assessed in 36 clinically euthyroid patients undergoing regular haemodialysis. The influence of erythropoietin administration on the thyroid function tests has been determined. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) has been found to be elevated in 8% of the patients. Free tri-iodothyronine was below the normal range in 67% of the population. Free thyroxine (FT4) was low in 67% of the patients when tested by an analogue method. FT4 tested by a 2-stage method in a subgroup of 22 patients was abnormally low in only 23% of the patients. Erythropoietin did not seem to improve these thyroid abnormalities despite a partial correction of the anaemia. A rise in FT4 was also observed after haemodialysis without a concomitant change in TSH concentration. This FT4 elevation was attributed to the effect of heparin.