A low T3 syndrome in diabetic ketoacidosis.
The pituitary-thyroid axis was investigated in nineteen euthyroid patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. A 'low T3 syndrome' was found, with the following characteristics: lowered serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), increased reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), slightly low thyroxine (T4), normal thyrotrophin (TSH), slightly increased triiodothyronine uptake (RT3U) values, and a blunted TSH response to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH). These disturbances in thyroid-function tests required several days good control of the diabetes to be corrected, at least partially. The data suggest the presence of an abnormal extrathyroidal T4 metabolism as well as a pituitary defect. Caution is recommended in the interpretation of thyroid-function tests during and several days after the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003926:Diabetic Coma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine