Thyroid Basics

Sources of T3
  1. Deiodinases (T4 to T3 Conversion)
    • Type 1 (Liver, Kidney, Thyroid; acts at higher T4 concentration)
    • Type 2 (Pituitary, CNS; acts at lower T4 concentration) 
  2. TSH feedback may vary due to 
    • Heterogenity of T3 receptors 
    • Heterogenity of T4 Deiodinases 
    • Resetting the Threshold for Negative Feedback
  3. Assessing Thyroid Function
    • During Steady State Condition: TSH
    • During Non-steady condition: TSH, Free T4
  4. Limitations
    1. "Acquired Central Hypothyroidism" or Non-Thyroidal Illness
      • Low TSH and Low FT4 when sick  (Way to remember: Acute Illness causes central TRH and TSH release defect - hence, Low TSH)
      • TSH Transiently above normal during recovery (Way to remember: During recovery, TRH, TSH bounces back, hence, TSH transiently above normal) 
  5. Subclinical Hyperthyroidism
    • Natural History
      • 323 Patients (Das et al Clin Endocrinol 2012) - 32 month follow up
        • TSH (0.1 - 0.39) : 6.8 % progression
        • TSH (<0.1): 20.3 % progression  (Thus, much higher progression when TSH < 0.1)
    • Physiological Effect of Subclinical Hyperthyroidism
      • Bone: 
        • Decreased Bone Density
        • Increased Serum Osteocalcin
        • Increased Serum Hyrooyproline and Pyrrolidine links 
      • Heart
        • Increased HR
        • Increased Risk of AFib 
          • (28 % increased incidence of A Fib in Framingham Study with TSH < 0.1)
          • Risk of A Fib in hospitalized patients 
            • 2 % in Euthyroid
            • 13 % in Subclinical Hyperthyroid
            • 14 % in Overt hyperthyroid

        • Increased Contractility
        • Increased LV mass Index
        • Increased Intraventricular septal and posterior wall thickness 
        • Note: These changes prevented by B-Blocking agent 
Levothyroxine
  1. t1/2: 7 day
  2. Absorption: 80 %
  3. Miss one dose: Take 2 next day 
  4. Miss 2 days: Take 3 next day 
  5. Miss 4 days: Take 4 next day 
  6. Dose: 1.6 mcg / kg 
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