Lecture 16: Thyroid Disorders Part 1 Flashcards
What is the cell that makes thyroid hormone? Where does it get stored?
Follicular cells make thyroid hormone.
Colloid is where thyroid hormone is stored.
What does high T3 and T4 inhibit?
Both TRH and TSH.
What is thyroglobulin? (Tg)
Large glycoprotein synthesized by follicular cells of the thyroid; released into the colloid.
What mineral is required for normal thyroid function? What enzyme processes it?
Iodine is required.
Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) processes it.
30x more iodine in your thyroid than serum.
Where is iodine deficiency most common in and what conditions is it associated with?
Common in developing countries.
Goiters, hypothyroidism, mental retardation.
Russia has iodine deficiency
Clinical
Kearra, a 13-year-old female, has an intrinsic genetic deficiency that stops her from producing thyroglobulin. What would we expect to happen…
○ To her T3 and T4 levels?
○ To her TSH and TRH levels?
T3/T4 = Low
TSH/TRH = High
Clinical
Pari, a 31-year-old female from India, has suffered from lifelong iodine deficiency. What would we expect to happen…
○ To her T3 and T4 levels?
○ To her TSH and TRH levels?
T3/T4 = Low
TSH/TRH = High
Clinical
Michael, a 64-year-old male, just had a total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer. What would we expect to happen to his thyroglobulin level?
Low
What is a Tg molecule?
Precursor to multiple T3/T4
What is the most common thyroid hormone?
T4
What happens to T3 and T4 in the plasma?
Binds to plasma protein.
T4 is 99.8% bound.
T3 is 70-99% bound.
Which thyroid hormone is released to tissues daily? Why?
T3 is released daily because it has a lower binding affinity.
T4 is only released every 6 days.
What happens to T4 once it is absorbed by tissues?
It is converted to T3 by deiodinases
What proteins bind T3 and T4?
- Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) 80% of T3/T4.
- Transthyretin (TTR)
- Albumin
What is rT3? Why is it alarming if we have a lot?
rT3 is metabolically INactive.
It is elevated in states of trauma, shock, burn patients, etc…
Clinical
What would happen to the absorption of oral thyroid hormone
replacement therapy if a pt took this medication with a meal?
Less absorption than normal
Clinical
What would happen if someone was deficient in TBG, but otherwise metabolically normal…
○ To their total T3 and T4 levels?
○ To their free (unbound) T3 and T4 levels?
○ To their TSH and TRH levels?
- Total T3/T4 = decreased.
- Free T3/T4 = same.
- TSH/TRH = no change.
Clinical
Estrogen increases the levels of TBG. If someone had high estrogen levels (e.g. pregnancy, contraception), what would happen…
○ To their total T3 and T4 levels?
○ To their free (unbound) T3 and T4 levels?
○ To their TSH and TRH levels?
- Total T3/T4 = increased
- Free T3/T4 = same
- TSH/TRH = same
Clinical
Jamal is a healthy, euthyroid 22-year-old male who presents for a routine physical. As part of his physical, he has thyroid function studies drawn. Should we expect to see higher levels of serum T3 or serum T4 on labs?
Serum T4 would be higher.
Clinical
What would an elevated level of reverse T3 (rT3) suggest?
Increased stress on the body.
Clinical
Would we expect to see symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), or euthyroidism (normally functioning thyroid) in a patient with elevated rT3?
Underactive thyroid symptoms.
Hypothyroidism because rT3 is metabolically inactive.
What is the general effect of thyroid hormones on tissues?
Increased functional activity.
Which thyroid hormone binds with greater affinity to cell receptors?
T3 has 10-15x more affinity.
What complex is formed by T3 binding to receptors?
Thyroid receptor-Retinoid x receptors (TR-RXR complex)
What does the TR-RXR complex do?
Altering gene expression, usually causing a target gene to be expressed.
What are the growth effects of thyroid hormone?
- Promotes growth of skeletal tissue and skeletal maturation.
- Promotes growth/maturation of brain in fetal phase, first few years of life.
Fetal thyroid levels are checked on birth.
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on carbohydrate metabolism?
Promotes all aspects:
* Glucose absorption/uptake
* Gluconeogenesis
* Glycolysis
* Insulin secretion
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on fat metabolism?
Promotes all aspects:
* Increased FFA and decreased body fat
* Decreased concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids, and TGs.
* Reduce fatty deposits in liver.
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on BMR?
- Increased thyroid hormone = 60-100% increase in BMR.
- Decreased thyroid hormone = 50% reduction in BMR.
Clinical
Iris is a 6-year-old female with congenital hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) that has not been treated well up to this point. What effect would we expect to see on her stature (height), and why?
Short due to decreased bone growth.
Clinical
What body habitus would you expect a patient with chronic, untreated hyperthyroidism to have, and why?
Very skinny, thin body habitus due to increased BMR.
Clinical
Diego is a 44-year-old male who suffers from obesity, hyperlipidemia, and fatty liver disease. He has been told he has a thyroid abnormality on his labs. Would you expect him to be hyper-, hypo-, or euthyroid?
Hypothyroidism
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on the heart?
- Minor increase will increase heart strength.
- Major increases will weaken heart due to protein catabolism.
What are the effects of excess or reduced thyroid hormone on muscles?
- Excess = muscle weakness due to protein catabolism.
- Reduced = sluggish, slow post-contraction relaxation.
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on the endocrine system?
Increased secretion of most hormones.
Clinical
Latisha is an obese 32-year-old female with heavy menses and a history of thyroid disease. Assuming her thyroid is causing her irregular menses, what thyroid disorder is she more likely to have (overactive or underactive)?
Underactive thyroid. (Hypothyroidism)
Clinical
Robert is an 87-year-old male with hypothyroidism and dementia. He presents with acute onset of increased anxiety, agitation and insomnia.
His daughter says “I think he has not been taking his thyroid medication the way he is supposed to.” Is he more likely to have taken extra doses of his thyroid hormone therapy, or have missed doses?
Extra doses, since he has signs of increased agitation and insomnia