Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
1994-9-1
pubmed:abstractText
Thyroxine (T4), free T4 (fT4), triiodothyronine (T3), free T3 (fT3), reverse T3 (rT3), thyrotropin (TSH), thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), and T3 uptake were measured in 14 chronic alcoholics during withdrawal and after 21 days of abstinence. Results were compared with those of 16 healthy volunteers. During withdrawal, the fT4 and fT3 concentrations were subnormal, whereas the respective protein-bound fractions were normal. T4, T3, and TBG increased during the abstinence period, T3 and TBG being significantly higher than in normals at the second measuring time. T3 uptake values fell, but remained well within the normal range at both measuring times. During abstinence, the fT3 levels remained significantly lower than in healthy subjects. rT3 concentrations decreased, but not significantly. The TSH values were normal throughout. These results showed numerous abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in alcoholics, the reasons for which are as yet unclear. The following possible interpretations are suggested: 1. The abnormally low serum fT3 and fT4 levels during withdrawal might reflect an increase in tissue uptake. 2. The increases in T4--and partly those in T3--during abstinence seem to reflect increased binding by TBG, the level of which rose markedly for reasons as yet unknown. 3. If increases in TBG during abstinence are taken into account, the decreases in rT3 concentrations may reach the level of statistical significance. These falls in rT3 concentrations may reflect an increase in rT3 metabolization (deiodination) in various tissues, including the CNS, leading to a reduction in serum rT3 bioavailability. 4. Factors such as liver disease, protein caloric malnutrition, and "psychological stress" do not fully explain all these abnormalities. A direct effect of ethanol on intracellular thyroid hormone metabolism and/or function seems conceivable.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0145-6008
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
18
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
284-94
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1994
pubmed:articleTitle
Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in chronic alcoholism. I. HPT axis in chronic alcoholics during withdrawal and after 3 weeks of abstinence.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum Rudolf Virchow, Berlin, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't