Hypothalamus-anterior Pituitary Axis Dysfunction in Stroke: Tsh Responses to Administration of Iv Trh

We aimed to determine whether the lesion affected hypothalamus-anterior pituitary axis in 38 patients with cerebrovascular hemorrhage and infarct who did not have a thyroid disorder. For this purpose, we measured levels of serum thyroid hormones; T3 (triiodothyronin), T4 (tyroxin), FT3 (free T3), FT4 (free T4) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) at 0 minute and TSH hormones were measured bu RIA (radioimmunoassay) at 20 and 60 minutes after administering IV 500 μg TRH at 8:00 am. Results were compared with the control group comprising 17 euthyroidic subjects. In stroke patients, responses of TSH to TRH were variable and 28.9% had low response (n=11), 5.3% extremely delayed response (n=2) and 65.8% normal responses (n=25). TSH parameters of 25 patients with stroke and 13 patients with axis dysfunction (case group) were compared with normal control group parameters. TSH values were found to be significantly lower in stroke patients compared to the control group (p<0.001, p<0.001 respectively).