[Water-salt balance in patients with diffuse toxic goiter and hypothyroidism]

78 patients with diffuse toxic goiter and 25 patients with hypothyrosis were evaluated for the state of water-salt balance. Thyrotoxicosis was found out to be characterized by changes in cellular content of potassium and sodium while fluctuations of their levels in the intracellular fluid are less important and unstable. Diurnal urine excretion, glomerular filtration rate, excretion of sodium and creatinin tended to be on the increase in mild and moderately severe thyrotoxicosis, while in severe course the above parameters got decreased, with reabsorption of water showing the reverse tendency. Diurnal potassium excretion appeared to be increased with all forms and patterns of the condition. Hypothyrosis appeared to be associated with slight augmentation of the amounts of sodium and lowering of potassium levels in blood plasma with no striking alterations in erythrocytes. Diurnal urine excretion, glomerular filtration rate, sodium excretion were all inhibited in proportion to the severity of the process, while potassium excretion, on the contrary, tended to be on the increase. The above shifts are considered to result from polyglandular endocrine disturbances originating from functional inadequacy of the thyroid gland.