Thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in elderly patients with and without acute illness.
The response of thyrotropin (TSH) to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was measured in 70 clinically euthyroid elderly patients who were acutely ill and in 70 age- and sex-matched euthyroid controls who were free of acute disease. The incremental TSH response (delta TSH) was often blunted (less than 2 mU/l) in both groups, though more often in those with acute illness (30%) than in those without (19%). However, in patients from both groups who had a blunted delta TSH, there was often a substantial proportional rise in TSH. A substantial proportional TSH rise may be useful in differentiating between genuine thyroid disease and euthyroid sick syndrome in elderly patients with a blunted delta TSH.
Finucane
P
P
Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff.
Rudra
T
T
Hsu
R
R
Newcombe
R
R
Pathy
M S
MS
Scanlon
M F
MF
Woodhead
J S
JS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin