title: Comparative evaluation of serum thyroxine, free thyroxine and thyrotropin determinations in screening of thyroid function.
abstract: We assessed a highly sensitive immunoradiometric thyrotropin (TSH) assay in screening thyroid dysfunction in 130 consecutive outpatients from a department of medicine and 224 patients from a municipal health centre. In addition to clinical examination, three routine tests were done: a thyroxine radioimmunoassay, an analogue-based free thyroxine assay and an immunoradiometric TSH assay. Triiodothyronine and the TRH test were done, if the findings were discrepant. Discrepancy existed in 24% of cases. The TSH assay had no false negative results (sensitivity 100%). Therefore TSH could screen all patients with thyroid dysfunction. Free thyroxine was the most specific assay (specificity 96%), but many subclinically or overtly hypothyroid patients would have been missed, if that assay had been used alone. We conclude that TSH(IRMA) is the best first-line measurement for thyroid dysfunction testing among outpatients. An abnormal TSH result alone is not diagnostic, but should be followed by the measurement of thyroxine or free thyroxine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nuutila
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Irjala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Prinssi
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kaihola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine