Abstract
We calculated a free triidothyronine (FT 3) index on 124 patients who exhibited symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism and elevations of the free thyroxine (FT 4) index on initial screening. A thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) test served as the final arbiter of thyroid function if the clinical presentation was not characteristic of hyperthyroidism or if the FT 3 index was not elevated. Forty-one of the 124 patients had normal TRH tests and were thus classified as euthyroid. Of these patients with the so-called euthyroid sick syndrome, 23 had psychiatric disorders. In a separate study, we measured a FT 4 index on 100 unselected admissions to the psychiatric ward. Of six patients with elevated FT 4 values, only one had hyperthyroidism. We conclude that false positive FT 4 index elevations occur commonly in psychiatric patients. The mechanism(s) for the FT 4 index elevations remain obscure. Despite some limitations, the TRH test is a valuable diagnostic adjunct for diagnosing hyperthyroidism in the mentally ill patient when other tests and serial observations are inconclusive.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call