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Triiodothyronine Turnover in Hospitalized Psychogeriatric Patients †
Author(s) -
Hontela S.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1975.tb00312.x
Subject(s) - medicine , triiodothyronine , hypermetabolism , hyperkinesis , turnover , endocrinology , thyroid , pediatrics , management , economics
ABSTRACT In a group of 12 hospitalized psychogeriatric patients, the fractional triiodothyronine (T 3 ) turnover rate was significantly higher than in healthy control subjects of the same age, whereas the thyroxine (T 4 ) turnover rate and other aspects of pituitary‐thyroid function were virtually similar in both groups. Despite the presence of manifestations of sympathetic overactivity or hypermetabolism, the patients did not have true hyperthyroidism, as verified by the laboratory findings and the results of antithyroid treatment. The increased T 3 turnover in aged hospitalized patients with brain disorders may be a compensatory mechanism which develops under these particular circumstances in order to maintain neurohormonal homeostasis. An alternate possibility is that the increased T 3 turnover is secondary to hyperkinesis.