Serum Lipoids and Proteins in Hypothyroidism 1

Abstract

Previous investigators (1,2,3,4, 5) have shown that a high serum cholesterol is commonly found in patients presenting the classical symptoms of myxedema. There has been a difference of opinion (6), however, as to whether high cholesterol invariably occurred and as to whether it was a sufficiently fundamental part of the syndrome to be of value in weeding out the atypical forms of hypothyroidism from the complex group of patients with low basal metabolic rates and such symptoms as retardation, weakness, easy fatigability, sensitivity to cold, falling hair, dry skin, obesity, etc. Certain authors, and particularly Hurxthal, have concluded that the level of cholesterol constitutes a valuable index of the degree of hypothyroidism, while others (7, 8, 9, 10) have found it unreliable and not an essential part of the syndrome. A contributing factor to this disagreement has been the difference in methods employed.The basal metabolic rate has not proved to be an infallible criterion of hypothyroidism. For example, it may be low without the syndrome of sensitivity to cold, edema, dry skin and coarse hair, or the patient may be so tense and excitable that relaxation essential to the measurement of the true basal metabolic rate is impossible.The present investigation was undertaken to study whether or not the levels of serum cholesterol, fatty acids, and phosphatides might furnish accurate criteria of thyroid deficiency and of the value of administering dessicated thyroid. A second purpose was to evaluate the effect of administering thyroid at the height of lipemia. Disorders in protein metabolism have been also described as occurring in myxedema, but the apparent changes in serum proteins may well have been compensatory responses to the disturbance in water metabolism. In order to obtain further insight into this problem, serum proteins and

Serum Iodine in Hypothyroidism Before and During Thyroid Therapy 12

“…The previous reports in which some earlier articles were cited have emphasized the constancy of hypercholesterolemia in untreated hypothyroidism (13,22). In the present series the incidence of normal or subnormal serum cholesterol values, in patients untreated for a reasonably long period of time, was unusually high (24 per cent).…”

“…Serum cholesterol was determined in 27 of these patients at a time when no thyroid was being administered (Table I). Twenty exhibited the hypercholesterolemia characteristic of hypothyroidism (13), the values ranging from 290 to 911 milligrams per cent. Of the 7 remaining patients with cholesterol levels below 265 milligrams per cent, 1 (P-1) had been off thyroid for only 11 days.…”

The Interrelations of Serum Lipids in Patients With Thyroid Disease 1

“…Man, Gildea, and Peters (1,3) found a correlation between cholesterol and total fatty acids, but this was less exact than the correlation between cholesterol and lipid phosphorus. Since most of the fatty acid of serum belongs to cholesterol esters and phospholipids, there would have to be some correlation between cholesterol and fatty acids.…”

Serum Lipoids and Proteins in Hyperthyroidism 1

“…In 1 patient the table does not give space for the blood studies continued some years which made the leveling process more obvious. A56471 (Table II) The correlation between serum cholesterol and thyroid deficiency has been discussed in another paper (21). However, the evidence given in relation to the level of cholesterol before and after Lugol's solution, before and after thyroidectomy, and before and after the administration of desiccated thyroid, demonstrates a decided correlation between the level of serum cholesterol and the activity of the circulating thyroid hormone in the individual.…”

“…Table I includes 13 uncomplicated hyperthyroid patients; Table II, 9 patients who had a good recovery; and Table III, 21 patients who only had a partial recovery after thyroidectomy. In Tables II and III, the open circles (0) mark the 21 patients with marked disorders of the vegetative and central nervous system, including patients with diabetes and marked vasomotor disturbances resembling those described in a previous paper (37 5erum Chestercl -rq.…”