Hypothyroidism abolishes the hyperdynamic phase and increases susceptibility to sepsis

Abstract

To evaluate the role of thyroid hormones in sepsis, 250–400 g rats were surgically thyroidectomized and 2–6 weeks later sepsis was produced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). In normal rats, total body O 2 consumption (VO 2) increased by 12.8% ( P < 0.05) in early sepsis (6 hr after CLP) and decreased slightly in late sepsis (16 hr after CLP). In hypothyroid (HT) rats, VO 2 was depressed by 19.8% ( P < 0.05) in early sepsis and further decreased to 46.7% ( P < 0.001) of preoperative levels in late sepsis. Hepatic blood flow increased in early sepsis in normal rats but was unchanged in HT rats. The normal hyperglycemic response to early sepsis was also absent in HT rats. The respiratory control ratio (RCR) of isolated mitochondria with succinate was not increased in HT rats in early sepsis. In late sepsis, hypothyroid animals showed further decreases in VO 2 and mitochondrial RCR, and, in contrast to normal rats, showed no change in blood glucose levels. Survival (5 days) following late sepsis in normal, HT, and HT rats given daily ip injections of thyroxine (30 μg/kg) were 65.2% ( 15 23 ), 30% ( 6 20 ) ( P < 0.025), and 77.1% ( 14 18 ), respectively. Thus, absence of thyroid hormone abolishes the hyperdynamic phase of sepsis and significantly increases mortality in sepsis, and thyroxine replacement following thyroidectomy prevents the increased mortality from sepsis.