Pulmonary tuberculous children and the Euthyroid Sick Syndrome.

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to investigate changes in the thyroid hormones in children with active pulmonary tuberculosis [TB] before and three months after starting antituberculous therapy. It was observed that the mean hemoglobin level was significant and lower in patients than controls. The mean serum albumin level was significantly lower in cases before treatment than three months after treatment and the control group. The mean serum level of AST and ALT was significantly higher in patients after treatment than before treatment and the control group. It was observed that the mean serum level of T3 was significantly lower in patients before treatment than after three months of antituberculous treatment or the control group. There were no significant differences in the serum levels of T4 or TSH between the control group and cases before and three months after starting antituberculous treatment. Cases with decreased serum T3 level had more severe clinical manifestations than those with normal serum T3 level