Healthy population; reference values of thyroid hormones

ABSTRACT

The reference values of thyroid hormones in healthy population of Multan area were determined at Combined Military Hospital Multan. A total of 295 subjects comprising 105 adult males aged 18-50 years, 72 adult females [non pregnant] aged 16-45 years, 65 adult females [pregnant] aged 21-35 years and 53 newborns were included in the study. Serum TSH, total T4, total T3, free T4 and free t[number] were analyzed by enzymatic immunoassay on semi-automatic analyser [Serozyme-1] of Serono-USA. The reference values were calculated using 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles as lower and upper limits [95%]. In adult males, the reference values of TSH was 0.4 -6.0 IU/L and T$ was 52 - 180 nmol/l, total T3 was 1.1 - 2.9 nmol/l, free T4 was 8.2 - 24 pmol/l and free T3 was 1.5 - 7.3 pmol/l. In adult females [non pregnant], the values of the analytes were almost same as in adult males. In adult females [pregnant] the values of total T4 and T3 were significantly higher than adult males. In newborns the levels of TSH were significantly higher and level of other parameters moderately higher than adult males. It is recommended that reference values of thyroid hormones should be established in various areas of Pakistan by the concerned laboratories to make appropriate use of such investigations