Lithium therapy and thyroid function tests. A prospective study.
Thyroid function tests including thyroxine (T4), T3 test, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4 index and antithyroid antibodies were studied in 51 patients before the start of long-term lithium therapy and after 4 and 12 months on lithium. After 4 months on lithium, changes occurred in all laboratory parameters - T4 and T3 test levels decreased and TSH increased. After 12 months T4 and T3 test increased to pretreatment levels and TSH remained higher than before the start of lithium. During 1 year of lithium treatment only 1 patient developed clinical signs of hypothyroidism and started levo-thyroxine substitution therapy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000209:etiology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008094:Lithium; D013974:Thyroxine