[The quantitative analysis of thyroid hormones and thyrotropin in children critically ill with septicemia]. / Cuantificación de hormonas tiroideas y tirotropina en niños críticamente enfermos con septicemia.

The function of the hypothalamus, hypophysis, and thyroid glands was studied in 23 critically-ill septicemic children and 15 other healthy children used as controls. A comparison in the quantification of 3,3'5-triiodothyronine (T3), 3,3',5'triiodothyronine (T3r), thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropin (TSH) from those in the control group with the initial values from the patients showed a notable decrease of T3 and T4 and a rise in T3r and TSH in the septicemic children, with a statistical significant difference (P less than 0.001). These biochemical changes which translate into a homeostatic command to avoid catabolism through the conservation of energy, spontaneously returned to normal in 18 of the surviving septicemic children once they recuperated.