Chronic Renal Failure and Hypothyroidism

This study was undertaken to test the thyroid function with chronic renal failure. Forty patients of CRF and forty healthy who served as control were studied for their thyroid function status. The study observed low total T3 and total T4 values in clinically euthyroid CRF patients. However, finding of normal free T4 values (which is metabolically active fraction) and TSH would indicate functional euthyroid status. It can be presumed that free T4 values would fall if these patients develop hypothyroidism, and TSH values would rise simultaneously. Thus free T4 and TSH level combined can be used for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in presence of chronic renal failure. This study found that the plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones in patients with chronic renal failure both free T3 1.38±0.31 pmol/L and total T3 serum concentrations1.06±0.23 nmol/L were reduced as compare to control respectively. Similarly both serum freeT4 06.27±1.09 pmol/L and total T4 56.17±0.8.96 nmol/L were also reduced in chronic renal failure patients .There was slightly increase in serum TSH 6.21±0.73 mlU/L as compared to control 3.43±0.44 mlU/L. Thus it is suggested that thyroid hormones should be evaluated in chronic renal failure patients and thyroid hormone therapy should be given in these patients to maintain thyroid hormone level.