[Mean arterial blood flow depends on the intensity of thyrotoxicosis in patients with Graves' disease].
Thyrotoxicosis leads to profound changes in the cardiovascular system.


OBJECTIVE
Using a new non-invasive ultrasonic system VED elaborated by Powałowski et al., we aimed to assess whether arterial blood flow is related to the intensity of thyrotoxicosis in patients with Graves' disease.


METHODS
We compared two groups: hyperthyroid (Graves' group n=25, mean age=31+/-8 years) and euthyroid (control group n=23, mean age 30+/-7 years). Mean arterial blood flow (Q) was determined in the common carotid artery on the basis of ultrasound continuous wave Doppler and echo examinations.


RESULTS
Q was significantly higher in the Graves'group: 11.52+/-4.36 vs 8.33+/-2.02 10(-6) m3/s, p<0.00003. There was positive correlation between Q and blood concentrations of thyroid hormone in the Graves' group (rS=0.5372, p<0.00001 for Q and fT3; rS=0.4087, p<0.005 for Q and fT4). No correlation between Q and age nor Q and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol nor LDL-cholesterol) were found in the Graves' group.


CONCLUSIONS
In thyrotoxic patients with Graves' disease there is not only a qualitative but also a quantitative relationship between thyroid hormone and blood flow in the common carotid artery.
Czarkowski
Marek
M
Akademia Medyczna w Warszawie Klinika Chorób Wewnetrznych i Endokrynologii.
Hilgertner
Leszek
L
Powałowski
Tadeusz
T
Radomski
Dariusz
D
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color