Thyroid hormone levels in hepatitis B

Thyroid hormone levels were estimated in fifty patients with hepatitis B. In acute phase, T[3] was raised in 10% and T[4] in 60%. This rise was directly proportional to the transaminases levels. Twenty cases were also studied in the recovery phase where thyroid hormones returned to within normal limits. This rise of T[3] and T[4] in acute phase is attributed to increased thyroxin binding capacity due to release of thyroid binding globulin into circulation from necrosing hepatocytes