Observations on thyroid function tests in the elderly

One hundred elderly men and women living in old people's homes and 95 in a long-stay geriatric hospital were investigated for thyroid function by measuring the serum thyroxine, T-3 uptake and calculating the free thyroxine index. The values obtained were found to be within the normal adult range in 97% of the subjects studied. No significant correlation was found between albumin and T-3 uptake, except in men in hospital.