[Changes in thyroid function during ACTH therapy in patients with infantile spasms].
Serum triiodothyronine (T3), free T3, thyroxine (T4) and free T4 levels were measured before and immediately after daily ACTH-Z therapy (0.01 mg/kg/day, 1-2 weeks) for patients with 9 cases of infantile spasms and one case of myoclonus epilepsy. In some of them, serum reverse T3 (rT3) and thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) levels were also measured. All patients became seizure free after ACTH-Z therapy. Before ACTH-Z therapy, all of the hormone levels were within normal limits. Serum T3 and free T3 levels were markedly decreased after daily ACTH-Z therapy, and serum T4, free T4 and TBG levels were moderately decreased after the therapy. 1-6 weeks after the daily treatment, all of these hormone levels returned to pretreatment levels. Serum rT3 levels did not change after ACTH-Z therapy. These results suggest that the effect of long-term daily ACTH-Z therapy is very critical to the immature brain, and conventional ACTH-Z therapy has to be reconsidered.
Shimizu
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, Yamanashi Medical College.
Seki
T
T
Ohyama
K
K
Takahashi
T
T
Takuma
Y
Y
Hirai
K
K
Aihara
M
M
Hatakeyama
K
K
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone