Thyroid related hormones and TSH levels in non-toxic diffuse goitre.

Three hundred and four patients with clinically proven, non-toxic diffuse goitre were investigated. Iodine uptake was performed according to a standard technique, i.e., 2 hour, 24 and 48 hours after oral administration of Radio Iodine. Serum thyroid hormones (T4 T3, FF4, and T3-uptake) and TSH were measured by RLA techniques and results were compared with normal Two types of kits were used, the simple and Amerlex RJA kits of Amershan International, U.K. The Amerlex kits were introduced with a modified assay method were more accurate, less time con-sliming and requires a smaller amount of serum. As the supply of simple RIA kits was discontinued, the Amerlex kits were used. As the nornial ranges of the kits were also different, the results have been analysed separately. The mean difference significance was determined by the students ttest and the coefficient of correlation by Karl Pearson’s formula. There were 25(8%) males and 279 (92%) females, the ratio was 1:11. The mean age for males was 19.9 (± SE 1.2) and females 18.2 (± SE 0.4) with a range of 10 to 35 and 10 to 40 years respectively. Sixtynine per cent of the patientsbelonged to lower and 31% to middle socioeconomic groups. The majority (85%) of the patients belonged to Karachi, the remaining were from NWFP (8%), India (3.9%), Punjab (1.9%) and 1 from Baluchistan. The two, 24 and 48 hours iodine uptake was high in goitrous patients. There was no significant differencein the mean levelsbetweenthetwo sexes. The means for T4, FT4 and FF1 were significantly low as compared to controls. No significant changes were seen in the mean T3 and TSH levels, though they were slightly elevated (Table I).