title: Serum beta 2-microglobulin levels in thyroid diseases.
abstract: Serum beta 2-microglobulin was measured in 38 patients with thyroid diseases. Serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin were significantly increased in patients with untreated Graves' disease (median: 200 nmol l-1; P less than 0.0002), and in patients with untreated toxic adenomas (222 nmol l-1; P less than 0.0005) compared to 60 healthy control subjects (147 nmol l-1). Following antithyroid treatment of euthyroidism, serum beta 2-microglobulin decreased significantly in both Graves' disease (162 nmol l-1) and toxic adenomas (175 nmol l-1); values which were not significantly different from that of the control group. The level of serum beta 2-microglobulin in 12 patients with hypothyroidism was not different from that of the control group. However, in untreated hypothyroidism serum beta 2-microglobulin was positively correlated with serum thyroxine (T4) (rho = 0.69; P less than 0.05) and free thyroxine index (FT4I) (rho = 0.72; P less than 0.02). It is concluded that elevated levels of serum beta 2-microglobulin may reflect the increased metabolism in patients with thyrotoxicosis. Increased levels in active Graves' disease may also partly be caused by immunological activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lervang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Møller-Petersen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ditzel
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin