The effect of lithium on the peripheral turnover of thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
The effect of litium on the peripheral turnover of T4 and T3 was investigated in 14 euthyroid subjects using lymphocytes as target cells. Lithium caused a dose-dependent rise in T4 turnover, which did not lead to increased T3 production, but no rise in T3 turnover. A further 3 patients with lithium induced hypothyroidism were studied. Patients with high T4 turnover had high TSH values and in these patients lithium induced a decrease in T4 turnover. This may lead to the conclusion that the demonstrated effect of lithium in the control group did not cause the low T4 in these patients. In 2 patients defective T4 degradation was demonstrated.
D000328:Adult; D002854:Chromatography, Paper; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008094:Lithium; D013974:Thyroxine