Thyroid-gonad relationship in bronchial asthma

ABSTRACT

Serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triodothyronine (T3), thyrotropin (TSH), T3 uptake (T3U), free thyroxine (FT4I) and free triodothyronine (FT3I) indices and testosterone (T) were studied by radioimmunoassays to elucidiate thyroid-gonad relationships in 30 men of African origin with bronchial asthma. In asthmatic subjects, (i) there were decreases (p<0.001) in both serum T3, FT3I and T levels;(ii) significant increases (p<0.001) in T3U were not associated with changes in serum T4 and FT4I, indicating an abnormality in thyroid-binding globulins (TBG); and is concluded that the hypophyseal-thyroid-gonadal axis may be set at a lower level in asthmatic patients (AU)