Resin Uptake Research Articles

Effects of Levothyroxine and Liothyronine on Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy in Rats

In liver cirrhosis, there is low T3 syndrome associated with a decrease in total triiodothyronine (T3) and free T3 concentrations and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) with chronotropic incompetence. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of eliminating T3 and thyroxine (T4) deficiencies on cardiac chronotropic dysfunction. Bile duct ligation (BDL) was used to induce cirrhosis in male Wistar rats. The chronotropic responses were studied through the Power Lab system in sham/saline, sham/T3T4, BDL/saline, and BDL/T3T4 groups. The serum T3 and T4, and T3 resin uptake (T3RU) levels were assessed. The atrial T3 receptor expression was investigated through a real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). The chronotropic responses were decreased in the BDL/saline group and raised in the BDL/T3T4 group. The serum T3 levels decreased in the BDL/saline group compared to sham group, but increased in the BDL/T3T4 group compared to the BDL/saline group. The serum T4 level increased in the BDL/saline and decreased in the BDL/T3T4 group. The serum T3RU level decreased in the BDL/saline and increased in the BDL/T3T4 group. The T3 receptor expression in atria increased in the BDL/saline group, nonetheless, it did not change in the BDL/T3T4 group compared to the sham/saline and the BDL/saline groups. T3T4 treatment did not increase the chronotropic response in the control group but the treatment improved the chronotropic hyporesponsiveness, and serum T4 and T3 RU abnormalities in cirrhosis, however, it is not related to the atrial T3 receptor expression.

Impact of a conditioning step during the treatment of wood with melamine-formaldehyde resin on dimensional stabilisation

Abstract The dimensional stabilisation of wood using thermosetting resins relies on the resin uptake into the cell walls. This study tested if a conditioning step after the impregnation and before the final heat-curing enhances the cell wall uptake to improve dimensional stabilisation without increasing the chemical consumption. Small blocks of Scots pine sapwood were vacuum-impregnated with an aqueous melamine formaldehyde solution and conditioned at 33, 70, or 95 % RH for up to 1 week before drying and curing the blocks at 103 °C. However, the conditioning step decreased the cell wall bulking and the moisture exclusion effect compared to the immediate heat curing of the impregnated samples. Analyses of the resin-treated samples by scanning electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy and confocal Raman microspectroscopy provided evidence of wood hydrolysis and polycondensation of the resin within the cell lumen during the conditioning step. Hydrolysis and removal of wood constituents may have counterbalanced the cell wall bulking of the resin. Polycondensation of the resin in the lumen increased its molecule size, which could have hindered the cell wall diffusion of the resin.

High-efficient removal of tungsten from hafnium by TOA/XAD-7 extraction resin from HCl-HF media

ABSTRACT For removal of the natural isobar 182W interference prior to ultra-trace 182Hf determination by accelerator mass spectrometry, an extraction chromatographic method for separation of Hf from W has been developed by using a newly synthesized tri-n-octylamine (TOA)/XAD-7 resin as the stationary phase and HCl-HF media as the mobile phase. Based on the TOA liquid-liquid extraction studies in HF and HCl-HF solutions at wide concentration range, a maximum separation factor of 8.6 × 103 for W/Hf was obtained in 8 M HCl-0.05 M HF solution. Subsequently, the macroporous organic polymer-based TOA/XAD-7 resin was prepared by vacuum impregnation technique and its morphology, chemical structure and composition were characterized by SEM, EDS, FT-IR, TG-DSC, and EA. The results showed the self-assembly TOA/XAD-7 resin uptakes about 50% of extractant and keeps intact binding characteristic for metal ions. Hence, this resin was employed to investigate the column chromatographic behavior of Hf and W with variable parameters of sample loading and column bed dimensions. As a result, a high yield of more than 99% for Hf and high decontamination factor of 3.2 × 105 for W were achieved under the optimal column condition. The strategy developed provides a simple and efficient alternative to sample preparation for 182Hf measurement.

Bending and shear improvements in 3D-printed core sandwich composites through modification of resin uptake in the skin/core interphase region

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) printed polymers are rarely used as a structural material due to anisotropic and low mechanical properties compared with conventional composites. In recent years, greater need has been expressed for recycling of materials, such as recyclable FDM, at the end of service life to reduce environmental pollution and manufacture cost. However, how the amount of resin uptake in the skin and skin/core interphase affects the bending and shear performance of the sandwich composites when replacing the low strength and ductile core (conventional core) with a high strength and brittle core (FDM printed PLA (polylactic acid) core) still remains unclear. A new manufacturing routine is needed to improve the incorporation of FDM printed polymers in composite structures. In this work, FDM printed PLA was used as core material and sandwiched between two unidirectional glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) skins to form a sandwich composite by compression-molding (CM) process, which provides a good manufacturing strategy for skin/core interphase modification. The significance of the CM process is proved by investigating the effect of resin uptake on bending and in-plane/out-of-plane shear performances. Current first order shear deformation (FSDT) theory lacks a direct connection between the in-plane shear stress and out-of-shear stress in the core region of sandwich composites. With the help of DIC, a connection between the in-plane shear and the out-of-plane shear strain was built and in-plane shear properties can acquire through out-of-plane shear properties, hence reducing the redundancy of sample preparation or the need for simulation. A significant improvement was found compared with the optimized resin uptake (Optimized resin uptake range: 20.43%–22.86 wt%) 3D-printed PLA core sandwich composite and lowest performance sandwich composite (Improvement: in-plane shear strength (∼34%)/modulus (∼29%), out-of-plane shear strength (∼25%)/modulus (∼31%), specific peak bending load (∼19%)). Compared with balsa core sandwich composites, the 3D-printed cores are suitable for use in composite sandwich structures in many applications with a satisfactory strength-to-weight ratio.

Infusible thermoplastic resin based sandwich structures for wind blade applications and the influence of scrim on facesheet to core interface debonding

Infusible thermoplastic Elium® family of resins from Arkema have garnered much attention in recent years as a possible replacement for thermoset resins in laminate and sandwich composite manufacturing for wind blade applications due to its ease of recyclability and the ability to utilize existing manufacturing processes without imposing complicated variations. However, physical and mechanical properties of the proposed Elium® based thermoplastic composites must be comparable to existing epoxy (thermoset) based composites using manufacturing processes relevant for large wind turbine blades. A 13-meter-long demonstration blade was manufactured for that purpose and sandwich samples were obtained from that project for a detailed study. This paper details three-point flexural properties of unidirectional E-glass fiber reinforced acrylic and epoxy based sandwich panels with identical balsa wood core materials. In addition, to evaluate the relative merit considering debond failure mode, the interfacial critical strain energy release rate, predominantly in mode-1, was compared via single cantilever beam testing. In sandwich composites constructed with balsa wood core material, resin uptake by the balsa core is traditionally impeded via the insertion of a scrim material at the facesheet to core interface. Results revealed that inclusion of scrim mesh layer at the facesheet to core interface reduced flexural properties and strain energy release rates in panels infused with acrylic resin but did not significantly reduce these properties in epoxy infused facesheets.

Research on the feasibility of polyethylene terephthalate foam used in wind turbine blades

AbstractThe sandwich foam materials of wind turbine blades are mainly polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) foams due to their good mechanical properties. However, PVC foam is unrecyclable and not resistant to high‐temperature conditions, while SAN foam is more expensive than PVC foam. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has irreplaceable advantages than both PVC and SAN foams because of its better mechanical performance, fantastic heat‐resistant, low cost, and environmental friendliness (100% recyclability). In this article, the mechanical properties, thermal stability, resin uptake, and cellular morphology of PET T92, PVC H60, and SAN T400 foams were discussed. The results showed that the mechanical properties of T92 were equivalent to the existing H60 and T400, and even exceed their properties. It was found that the thermal stability of T92 was better than H60 and T400 under the same high temperature. Moreover, the pore of T92 was more uniform and regular than H60 and T400. Furthermore, the overall cost of T92 was lower than H60 and T400. The findings suggest that PET foam with a density of 100 kg/m3 can completely replace PVC 60 kg/m3 and SAN 71 kg/m3 foams from the perspective of mechanical performance, cost, thermal stability, and environmental protection.

Evaluation of Ethanol Injection, Radiofrequency Ablation, and Levothyroxine Therapy in the Management of Benign Thyroid Nodules

Background: Thyroid nodules are common clinical findings. Although there are various accepted treatments for benign thyroid nodules, such as surgery and thermal treatment, there are some alternative methods for the management of these patients at lower costs with minimal complications. Objectives: This study aimed to compare volume reduction in radiofrequency (RF) ablation and single-session ethanol ablation (EA) and to investigate the effects of levothyroxine therapy (LT4) on benign thyroid nodules. Patients and Methods: In this clinical trial, 91 patients with benign thyroid nodules, presenting to different medical centers in Tehran, Iran, from December 6, 2018, to December 6, 2019, were included. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected and randomly allocated into three groups: group 1, a single session of RF ablation (n = 31); group 2, a single session of ethanol injection (n = 30); and group 3, a six-month LT4 treatment (n = 30). Thyroid tests, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), T3 resin uptake (T3RU), and serum calcitonin level, were recorded at baseline and within one-, three-, and six-month intervals. The nodule volume was also assessed using sonography at baseline and in the follow-ups. Results: The mean volume reduction was 73.6%, 80.1%, and 8.7% at six months after the intervention in the ethanol injection, RF ablation, and LT4 treatment groups, respectively (P < 0.001). There was a significant relationship between the mean volume reduction and the follow-up period (one, three, and six months) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The RF ablation therapy was found to be the optimal modality for the management of benign thyroid nodules, as it was associated with the greatest mean volume reduction. Conversely, the lowest mean volume reduction was observed in the LT4 treatment group during six months of follow-up.

The effect of resin uptake on the flexural properties of compression molded sandwich composites

AbstractResin uptake plays a critical role in the stiffness‐to‐weight ratio of wind turbine blades in which sandwich composites are used extensively. This work examines the flexural properties of nominally half‐inch thick sandwich composites made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam cores (H60 and H80; PSC and GPC) at several resin uptakes. We found that the specific flexural strength and modulus for the H80 GPC sandwich composites increase from 82.04 to 90.70 kN · m/kg and 6.03 to 7.13 MN · m/kg, respectively, with 11.0% resin uptake reduction, which stands out among the four core sandwich composites. Considering reaching a high stiffness‐to‐weight ratio while preventing resin starvation, 32% to 38% and 40% to 45% resin uptakes are adequate ranges for the H80 PSC and GPC sandwich composites, respectively. The H60 GPC sandwich composites have lower debonding toughness than H60 PSC due to stress concentration in the smooth side skin‐core interphase region. The ailure mode of the sandwich composites depends on the core stiffness and surface texture. The H60 GPC sandwich composites exhibit core shearing and bottom skin‐core debonding failure, while the H80 GPC and PSC sandwich composites show top skin cracking and core crushing failure. The findings indicate that an appropriate range of resin uptake exists for each type of core sandwich composite, and that within the range, a low‐resin uptake leads to lighter blades and thus lower cyclic gravitational loads, beneficial for long blades.

Effects of anodizing surface treatment on the mechanical strength of aluminum alloy 5083 to fibre reinforced composites adhesive joints

In this study, the anodizing process based on the use of tartaric sulfuric acid solution (TSA) was carried out on metal substrate to evaluate for the first time its effect on the adhesion strength and corrosion resistance of aluminium alloy (i.e., AA5083) to fibre (i.e., basalt or glass) reinforced composite adhesive joints for nautical applications. Furthermore, some TSA anodized samples were soaked in a NaOH solution to investigate the influence of this post-immersion step on the joint performances. With the aim to improve the fibre-matrix adhesion in the composite substrate thus further increasing the overall mechanical response of the joint, glass and basalt fibres were treated with a silane coupling agent solution. The corrosion behaviour of the aluminium alloy was studied by electrochemical techniques. Samples morphology was analysed by scanning electron microscopy, while the interaction between aluminium alloy substrate and epoxy resin was studied through contact angle analysis and resin uptake tests. The effectiveness of the silane treatment was examined by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and quasi-static tensile tests carried out on dry glass and basalt fabrics. The mechanical response of the resulting joints was evaluated by means of quasi-static tensile tests in accordance to ASTM D3528 standard.

Characterization of interdiffusion mechanisms during co-bonding of unsaturated polyester resin to thermoplastics with different thermodynamic affinities

Co-bonding of thermoplastics to thermosets remains as a challenge in hybrid composites manufacturing. The interphase of the joint is controlled by the thermodynamic affinity and the processing condition. Thus, the main objective of this study is to describe the interphase formation mechanisms between a thermoset resin and thermoplastics. Therefore, a methodology is developed to predict, control, and analyse the interphase morphology experimentally while modelling approaches are used to assess the microstructure. Hansen solubility parameters are used to select thermoplastics with different thermodynamic affinities to the unsaturated polyester resin as the thermoset. The resin uptake experiments are conducted to identify the kinetics of diffusion and empirical models are recognised to predict the swelling at various processing temperatures. Next, a coarse grain lattice model is established which couples the resin uptake and microscopic observation to extract information on the microstructure of interphase through predicting volume fraction of resin at the interphase.

Investigation of skin-core debonding in sandwich structures with foam cores

Debonding between the skins and the core in a sandwich structure is a critical failure mode in automotive applications; once debonding occurs, the load carrying capacity of a sandwich structure drastically decreases. In the present paper, the effect of using three core materials, with different cell characteristics, on the interfacial strength between the foam cores and a CFRP skin is investigated through mechanical testing and numerical modelling. A key finding is that foams with a coarse cellular structure favour a high resin uptake at the interface during the manufacturing process, which results in a stronger interfacial bonding between the foam and the CFRP. During Mode I loading, the thick resin layer at the interface postpones crack initiation and kinking in the core, whilst under Mode II, this resin layer delays the collapse in compression of foam cells under the crack tip. Thus, the importance of including this thick resin layer in the FE modelling was demonstrated. Finally, as the CZM was shown to be unable to predict the unstable crack propagation within the core, an alternative approach has been suggested which has the significant benefit of not requiring experimental testing of the interface between the skin and the core.

Assessment of hormonal alterations in major depressive disorder: A clinical study.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mood disorder that may lead to use of drugs, alcohol, and even suicide in acute cases. It has been shown that neurotransmitters and hormones have the same receptors and pathways in the mood area of the brain. Therefore, metabolic and biochemical changes are expected in MDD and, in such diseases, understanding the hormonal alterations would be extremely helpful in the management or treatment with hormone replacement therapy. We evaluated levels of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine index (FT4I), T3 resin uptake (T3RU), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) in 79 patients suffering from MDD and 71 healthy controls. The existence of MDD was confirmed by a face-to-face structured clinical interview. We started the investigation by taking a blood sample from the study population. Then, hormone levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significant differences were found between TSH, FT4I, DHEA-S, ACTH, testosterone, and cortisol/DHEA-S ratio in MDD patients compared to the healthy controls. We also demonstrated a correlation between MDD recurrence and FT4I index and TSH, respectively. Regarding some hormonal changes in patients with MDD, hormonal shifts should be considered in the treatment or management of MDD patients.

Adsorption and separation of terbium(III) and gadolinium(III) from aqueous nitrate medium using solid extractant

ABSTRACT A macroporous copolymer of styrene and divinylbenzene resin (TVEX-PHOR) was examined for adsorption of terbium(III) and gadolinium(III) from nitrate medium. Characterization of TVEX-PHOR before and after adsorption was investigated. Different factors affecting the sorption equilibrium were studied and a maximum separation value of 2.31 was reached at V/m = 0.3 L/g. Adsorption kinetics data indicated that the pseudo-second-order model is more applicable, while the isothermal data were found to be correlated with Freundlich model. The resin uptake capacity towards Tb(III) (24.93 mg/g) was more than that of Gd(III) (15.49 mg/g). Thermodynamic parameters of sorption indicated that the process was spontaneous and exothermic.

Gestational Perfluoroalkyl Concentrations and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Faroese Pregnant Women and Neonates: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may disrupt maternal and neonatal endocrine function. Adequate thyroid hormone (TH) levels during pregnancy are essential for fetal and early childhood development.Objective: To assess the relationship between gestational PFAS exposures and maternal and cord TH levels.Methods: Data was collected from a cohort of 182 mother-child pairs from 1994-1995 in the Faroe Islands. The concentrations of 17 PFASs, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were measured in maternal serum. Maternal and cord serum were measured for THs such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroxine (T4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free triiodothyronine resin uptake (T3RU), and free T4 index (FTI). We examined relationships between PFAS concentrations and TH levels using multivariable regression models and effect measure modification in sex-stratified analyses.Results: PFAS concentrations were mostly positively associated with both maternal and fetal TSH. PFOS and PFOA had the strongest estimates; doubling PFOS and PFOA concentrations were associated with 49% (95% CI: 18, 87%) and 33% (95% CI: 11, 59%) increase in cord TSH concentrations respectively. Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) was negatively associated with maternal FT4 and T3RU but positively associated with cord T4 and FTI levels. In mothers carrying female fetuses, doubling PFOS concentrations was associated with a 54% (95% CI: 14, 109%) increase in maternal TSH, but not in mothers bearing male neonates (-5%; 95% CI: -27, 24%). We did not observe consistent patterns for sex-stratified associations between gestational PFAS concentrations and cord TH levels.Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to several PFASs during pregnancy, such as PFOS and PFOA, is associated with increases in infant TSH levels. PFOS may also affect maternal TSH levels depending on the fetus’s sex, the implications of which are still to be understood.

Impact of resin uptake of core materials on buckling of wind turbine blades

Wind turbine blades consist of thin-walled cylindric and airfoil-shaped structures, which are prone to buckling. In such lightweight structures, sandwich constructions are used to reduce weight and prevent stability issues. The leading and trailing edge panels of the blade in particular are designed as a sandwich, which requires an evaluation of the buckling, where shear crimping can be one of the critical failure modes. Shear crimping is critical when the through-the-thickness shear stiffness of the core is relatively low compared to the bending stiffness of the face sheets. In this study, shell and solid finite element (FE) blade models were benchmarked against each other in order to simulate the shear crimping failure mode. Additionally, analytic plate models were compared to FE for different sandwich thicknesses and core properties to identify shear crimping. For relatively thin sandwich constructions, the analytic plate models were closer to FE shell results, whereas the models diverged when the sandwich was relatively thick. The importance of a realistic representation of core materials which takes into account the resin uptake in sandwich constructions of wind turbine blades was highlighted.

Detecting Congenital Central Hypothyroidism by Newborn Screening: Difficulty in Distinguishing from Congenital Thyroxine-Binding Globulin Deficiency

Background/Aims: Congenital central hypothyroidism (CH-C) can be detected on newborn screening (NBS) by programs using thyroxine (T4)-reflex thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test approach. CH-C must be distinguished from T4-binding globulin (TBG) deficiency. We sought to determine whether thyroid function tests reliably separate CH-C from TBG deficiency. Methods: We analyzed NBS and serum free and total T4, T3 resin uptake (T3RU) or TBG, and TSH for infants in the Northwest Regional NBS Program (NWRSP) between the years 2008 and 2015 with either CH-C or TBG deficiency. Results: We discovered a significant overlap in T3RU and TBG levels amongst 21 cases of CH-C and 250 cases of TBG deficiency. Mean serum TBG levels were lower in CH-C cases (20.3 µg/mL, range 14.2–33.3) than what is reported in healthy infants (28.6 µg/mL, range 19.1–44.6). Serum free T4 was lower in CH-C cases than TBG deficiency but did not always differentiate between the two conditions. Conclusion: CH-C benefits from detection on NBS but must be distinguished from TBG deficiency. The diagnosis of CH-C rests solely on subnormal serum free T4, but is supported by the demonstration of other pituitary hormone deficiencies. As an overlap exists, serum TBG (or T3RU) levels do not play a role in the diagnosis of CH-C.

Plywood made from plasma-treated veneers: melamine uptake, dimensional stability, and mechanical properties

This study investigates the dimensional stability and mechanical properties of plywood boards made of thermally modified and unmodified beech veneers that have undergone plasma pre-treatment before melamine resin impregnation. The water and melamine resin uptake and resulting weight percent gain of the veneers were investigated, whereby the air plasma pre-treated veneers showed improved liquid uptake. Five-layer plywood boards were then manufactured and tested for their dimensional stability, compressive strength, bending strength, and tensile strength. Plywood boards made of thermally modified and plasma pre-treated veneers showed a significantly improved dimensional stability, along with small influences on their mechanical properties.

Impact of diabetic ketoacidosis on thyroid function tests in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients

The aim of current study was to evaluate the function of thyroid during diabetic acidosis, just after the treatment and two weeks after the treatment. This was the analytic study. The study subjects included 20 patients, aged 18–36 years old, with type1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. All subjects were evaluated for thyroid function tests such as triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), T3 resin uptake (T3RU), free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), before treatment. After completing DKA treatment and two weeks after discharge, the thyroid function tests were repeated on the subjects and the results were analyzed using paired T-test, ANOVA or repeated measure and Pearson correlation tests. the current study showed that the mean levels of T3 and T4 were at hyperthyroid range and lower than normal before the treatment and significantly increased after the treatment (P<0.001). The serum levels of T3RU, FT4 and T4 were at the normal range, but their mean level increased significantly following the treatment progression (P<0.001).A significant relationship was observed among blood pH and the serum levels of FT3 and T3, before the treatment; the lower pH, the lower levels of FT3 and T3. The results of the current study showed that DKA causes euthyroid sick syndrome. The disease complications were resolved two weeks after treatment and the severity of acidosis was the main factor to decrease the level of active form of thyroid hormones such as FT3 and T3.

The Effect of Selenium Supplementation on Acute Phase Reactants and Thyroid Function Tests in Hemodialysis Patients

Background:Selenium deficiency is a common problem in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This micronutrient has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. Selenium is also found in high concentrations in the thyroid gland.Objectives:To determine the effect of selenium supplementation on thyroid function tests and acute phase reactants in hemodialysis patients.Patients and Methods:In this double-blinded randomized clinical in 3 months, 64 hemodialysis patients with selenium deficiency were divided into experimental (received selenium supplementation; 32 cases) or control group (received placebo; 32 cases). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), ferritin, quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP) and thyroid function tests (TFTs) including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T3 resin uptake (T3RU), and free T4 were measured before and after the intervention and compared between experimental and control groups.Results:At baseline, no significant difference was found between experimental and control groups regarding CRP, ESR and ferritin serum levels. Likewise, after intervention, no significant difference was found between experimental and control groups for CRP (14.77 ± 17.93 vs. 18.29 ± 21.56 mg/L), ESR (32.90 ± 32.62 vs. 33.91 ± 31.15 mm/h) and ferritin (528.6 ± 423.07 vs. 519.52 ± 345.59 ng/mL). At baseline, no significant difference was found between experimental and control groups regarding TFTs. Likewise, after intervention, no significant difference was found between experimental and control groups for TSH (3.7 ± 2.22 vs. 2.84 ± 1.88 µU/mL), free T4 (7.19 ± 1.98 vs. 7.02 ± 1.87 µg/dL) and T3RU (30.04 ± 2.28% vs. 29.2 ± 1.98%).Conclusions:Oral selenium supplementation for three months did not have any significant effect on thyroid function tests or acute phase reactants.

The effect of opium addiction on thyroid function tests

BackgroundA number of abnormalities has been identified among drug addicted users especially heroin addicts. However, there are a few studies to assess the opium effects on thyroid hormones. the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of opium on the thyroid function tests.MethodIn this case–control, 50 male addicts, aged 20–50 years, with history of addiction to opium lasting more than two years, and 50 male non-addicts as control group were randomly selected. 10 cc blood sample was taken for measurements of TSH, total T4 and T3, free T4 and T3, and T3 resin uptake (T3RU) and 50 cc urine sample for opium testing.ResultsThe univariate analysis revealed that there was not a significant association between opium and serum levels of T4 and TSH, but compared with control group, a slight increase in total T3 and a decrease in T3RU were observed among addicts (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, opium was also found to exert a lowering effect on serum free T4 level after adjusting of age and cigarette smoking (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe findings of the present study demonstrated that opium can influence on thyroid function by increasing total T3 and decreasing T3RU and free T4 levels.