title: Does thyroid function influence serum beta 2-microglobulin?
abstract: In 24 patients with hyperthyroidism (15 with Graves' disease and 9 with toxic nodular goitre), serum beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) levels were measured prior to and during 6 wk of treatment with carbimazole. The same schedule was followed in 7 patients with hypothyroidism, but their treatment consisted of levothyroxin in increasing doses. In 16 of the patients with hyperthyroidism, beta 2-m was initially found to be increased. In all these patients an increased beta 2-m declined to normal or near-normal levels. The patients with hypothyroidism had a normal medium serum beta 2-m. During substitution there was a tendency for the serum beta 2-m to decline. Indirect arguments are stated for the hypothesis that both in Graves' disease and in toxic nodular goitre activated T-lymphocytes are modulated in their function by carbimazole acting as an immunosuppressing agent. Moreover, we conclude that thyroid hormone levels are not directly responsible for the increased serum beta 2-m concentrations in hyperthyroidism.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002231:Carbimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D002231:Carbimazole; D013974:Thyroxine