The effects of hypothyroidism on liver status of cirrhotic patients

Ran Oren*, Emanuel Sikuler, Florence Wong, Laurence M. Blendis, Zamir Halpern

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have shown, in animal models as well as in retrospective human study, that some degree of decreased thyroid function is beneficial for subjects with liver damage of various etiologies. Therefore, we herein present the results of a cohort population study. Between 1991 and 1994, 18 patients (12 women and 6 men; mean age, 59 ± 24 years) with both biopsy-proven active cirrhosis (5 hepatitis C virus, 4 hepatitis B virus, 1 immuno-compromised host, 2 primary biliary cirrhosis, 1 alcoholic, and 5 cryptogenic; Child's-Pugh criteria: A-8, B-8, C-2) and primary or induced (by either drug or surgery) thyroxine-treated hypothyroidism were prospectively followed. Each patient was examined at least twice yearly and served as their own control. The thyroid of the profiled patients ranged between euthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. Liver function tests were evaluated and compared in states of normal versus increased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood levels. A significant improvement in alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.0001), albumin (p < 0.001), and bilirubin (p < 0.01) was found in the increased TSH group. Prothrombin time was also found to be significantly better (p < 0.001). We conclude that euthyroid patients with liver cirrhosis might benefit from a controlled hypothyroidism.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)162-163
Number of pages2
JournalJournal of Clinical Gastroenterology
Volume31
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cirrhosis
  • Hypothyroidism
  • TSH
  • Thyroxine

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