Serum thyroglobulin level in patients with diffuse and nodular goiter, after therapeutic application of stable iodine.

This study analysed the changes in serum thyroglobulin levels in euthyroid female patients, suffering from diffuse and scintigraphically functional nodular goiter, after therapeutic administration of two preparations of stable iodine: dried bovine thyroid, containing 100 mcg of iodine in one dragee (Thyral, Yugoslav Pharmacopea) and synthetic Na-salt L-thyroxine (Vobenol, with 100 mcg of iodine, too), for relatively short time of following-up, 8 weeks only. Having in mind the key role of TSH in regulation, all aspects of thyroid gland function, the interrelationship between TSH and thyroglobulin concentrations in those patients were also investigated. Prior to the therapy females had elevated thyroglobulin serum concentrations, caused by existence of diffuse and nodular goiter, which reflected an increase in intraglandular turnover of thyroglobulin (192 +/- 140 mcg/L in GROUP A further treated with Thyral and 121 +/- 14.80 +/- mcg/L in GROUP B, whose patients received Vobenol, mean +/- SD). Positive linear correlation between TSH and Tg levels was not established before therapy. Our data indicate that administration of two different preparations containing stable iodine in doses of 100 mcg every second day, during a two months period, resulted in significant decrease in the size of diffuse and nodular goiter, with diminished complains in a great number of patients. In thyroid humoral status, significant decrease of thyroglobulin concentrations was evident in both analysed groups (62 +/- 48 mcg/L, and 60 +/- 66, respectively). Presented results confirmed positive linear correlation between TSH and thyroglobulin in serum samples, after therapy, especially strong in the group treated with dried bovine thyroid.

Direct effects of cytostatic therapy on the functional state of the thyroid gland and TBG in serum of patients.

This study analysed the concentrations of thyroid binding globulin (TBG) in the serum as well as the level of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyreostimulating hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin (Tg) and T4/TBG coefficient, before therapy and on the fifth day of therapy in 27 patients of both sexes suffering from neoplasia. The patients were treated with cytostatic antibiotics, alkylating agents and podophyllines derivates, by protocol. Serum T3 gains in concentration already after 5 days since the beginning of treatment (from 1.65 +/- 0.20 to 1.73 +/- 0.18 nmol/l), but it is retained within physiological ranges as well as TSH, rT3 and Tg. Thyroxine remains within the permitted ranges, but slightly decreased after therapy (64.00 +/- 11.00 nmol/l, mean +/- SEM) in comparison to the value before (71.00 +/- 19.00), p(F) less than 0.1. A reduction of concentrations in total serum proteins at an average 7.88% was found. The level of inter-alpha globulin, TBG, in patients with proved malignancy is low before therapy (14.97 +/- 4.73 micrograms/l, mean +/- SEM, in males and 14.83 +/- 3.70 in females) but, with application of cytostatics it decreases considerably to the level of 11.68 +/- 4.46 (p less than 0.05) in males and to 13.68 +/- 3.89 in females (NS). In view of these facts, T4/TBG coefficient remains normal and contributes to the maintenance of euthyroid gland function.

Some extrathyroid regulatory mechanisms' aspects in thyroid humoral state at the delivery.

Thyroid function parameters (triiodothyronine, thyroxine, reverse triiodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroglobulin) and thyroid binding globulin (TBG) were determined in sera of 64 women who had carried a normal pregnancy and delivered at term, as well as in sera of their newborns. Obtained results were compared to the findings of the same parameters in 28 women who delivered at term, but had been receiving gestanges 1 to 5 months prior to the delivery, and in their babies. In both groups, serum triiodothyronine (T3) levels were normal both in mothers and in their babies. Foetal serum reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) levels were higher (1.58 +/- 0.14, means +/- SEM) as compared to serum levels (0.36 +/- 0.04) of the mothers treated with gestagens; similar results were obtained in the mothers with normal pregnancy (0.41 +/- 0.03) and their babies (1.65 +/- 0.15, means +/- SEM). In 13 out of 64 (20%) women with normal pregnancy serum thyroxine (T4) was elevated in delivery at term, with no impact on the clinical course. Of 28 women who were treated with gestagens for 1 to 5 months only 4 had elevated serum T4 on the delivery. Using gestagens, according to our results, contributes to an increase of the newborn TBG levels (27.00 +/- 2.65; means +/- SEM) in a significant way (p less than 1.001) as compared to TBG of the newborn delivered after a normal pregnancy (21.40 +/- 2.55).