Thryoid Function Tests Flashcards
Name 9 indications for TFTs
• Symptomatic patient, features of thyroid disorder, elderly and menopausal woman with nonspecific symptoms,
• family history
• taking thyroxine
Patients at risk of developing thyroid disease:
• diabetes: type 1 annually, type 2 at diagnosis
• autoimmune disease (annual)
• treated hyperthyroidism (annual)
• downs and turner’s syndrome (annual)
• post neck irradiation (annual)
• lithium or amiodarone (before treat and 6 monthly)
Name 3 types thyroid hormone
• Thyroxine T4 (produced by thyroid)
• tri-iodo thyronine T3 (biologically active,formed in liver kidneys muscle from T4 )
• reverse T3 (rt3)
Which proteins binds thyroid hormones (3)
. Thyroxine binding globulin TBG = major binding protein
• transthyretin / thyroxine binding prealbumin
• albumin
99,8% bound. 0,05% free T4, 0,2% free T3
How does amiodarone affect thyroid function
(4)
• Decrease thyroid hormone secretion
. Induce hyperthyroidism
. Impaired T3 and T4 conversion
• modified thyroid hormone action
How does lithium affect thyroid function (3)
• Decrease thyroid hormone secretion
• induce hyperthyroidism
• decrease in thyroidal synthesis
How does iodine affect thyroid function (2)
• Decrease thyroid hormone secretion
• induce hyperthyroidism
Name 10 causes low tsh
High free T4:
• overt hyperthyroidism
Normal T4
• subclinical hyperthyroidism !
• T3 hyperthyroidism (T3 toxicosis - do thyroid isotope scan)!
• non-thyroidal illness!
• treated hyperthyroid patients first 6 months
• ophthalmic Graves’ disease
• pregnancy first 20 weeks
• treatment with dopaminergic drugs or high dose glucocorticoids
Low T4
• non thyroidal illness
• hypopituitarism uncommon
Name 5 causes normal tsh with thyroid derangements
High free T4
• tsh oma (rare)
• assay interference
• thyroid hormone resistance (uncommon)
Low T4
• northyroïdal illness
• hypopituitarism (un common)
Name 7 causes high tsh
High free T4
• tsh Oma (rare)
• assay interference
• thyroid hormone resistance (uncommon)
Normal T4
• subclinical hypothyroidism
• recovery from nonthyroidal illness
Low T4
. Overt hypothyroid
• recovery from nonthyroidal illness
Name 2 signs hyperthyroid
• Exophthalmos
• goiter
Name 4 signs hypOthyroid
• Hair dry, coarse, sparse
• lateral eyebrows thin
• periobital edema
• puffy dull face with dry skin
When is tsh only ideal as a first line test
• Monitor on thyroxine
• screen at risk patients that are asymptomatic
When is tsh only not ideal as a first line test (5)
• Symptomatic patient on first presentation
• optimising treatment
• screening and monitorin in pregnancy
• diagnose and monitor hypopituitarism
• diagnose tsh Oma and thyroid hormone resistance (rane)
Approach to hypothyroidism with tsh 4,5 -10 and FT 4 normal (5)
• Exclude recovery from illness and drug causes
• repeat at 3 months to exclude transient rise in tsh (subclinical hypothyroid )
-if still no increase, do not treat with T4 unless Goitre, pregnancy
-If > 10, treat.
• request anti-tpo antibodies → positive → treat
Approach to hypothyroidism with tsh > 10 and FT 4 normal (4)
• Confirm subclinical hypothyroidism by repeat in 3 months.
• start on T4 if still >10
• retest after 8 weeks of treatment and change as needed
• when stable, annual check with tsh