title: [Hyperthyroidism due to contamination of the alternative drug Ader-Rein (Vascu-Vitaal)].
abstract: A 52-year-old woman developed hyperthyroidism due to the alternative Vascu-Vitaal pills. She was suffering from nephrotic syndrome due to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and subclinical hypothyroidism, possibly due to renal loss of thyroid hormone. For peripheral vascular disease she took the non-registered Vascu-Vitaal pills on her own initiative. According to the product information, these pills contain multiple vitamins, minerals, amino acids and tissue extracts of bovine adrenals, hypophysis and thymus. The patient developed hyperthyroidism after starting on a new batch of the preparation; it subsided after stopping the treatment. A technetium thyroid scan showed decreased uptake and subsequently the Vascu-Vitaal pills were found to contain both thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The thyroid hormone contamination was probably caused by bovine thyroid tissue. It is suggested to require a health warning statement on the package of alternative therapeutics stating that production and contents are not subject to governmental supervision.
authors.affiliation: Afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Stichting Deventer Ziekenhuis.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Doorenbos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Aart
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Koehorst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002417:Cattle; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D013961:Thyroid Gland; D014020:Tissue Extracts
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D014020:Tissue Extracts