Serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and soluble TNF-α receptor p55 in patients with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism before and after normalization of thyroid function.

Summary backgbound Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a cytokine with numerous immunological and metabolic activities. Receptors for TNF-α have been demonstrated in thyroid follicular cells and TNF-α and its receptors have been implicated in the cytotoxic mechanisms that characterize the thyroid destruction in autoimmune thyroid disease. In patients with Graves’ disease, serum levels of TNF-α have been reported to be elevated and administration of TNF-α to humans has been shown to induce hormonal alterations resembling those seen in the nonthyroidal illness syndrome. objective To evaluate serum concentrations of TNF-α and the soluble receptor for TNF-α (sTNFR-I) in a group of patients with thyroid dysfunction before and after normalization of thyroid function with appropriate therapy. design We studied 20 patients with hypothyroidism (18 women and 2 men, mean age ± SD, 48·8 ± 16·1 years) and 20 patients with hyperthyroidism (14 women and 6 men, age 44·6 ± 15·9 years). Patients were assessed at the time of diagnosis and again after normalization of thyroid function tests with appropriate therapy. A group of 20 healthy subjects (15 women and 5 men, age 44·9 ± 15·1 years) were also studied as a control group. setting All subjects were ambulatory and were studied as outpatients during visits to the endocrinology clinic. measurements Serum concentrations of free T4 (FT4), total T3, TSH, TNF-α and sTNFR-I were measured in all subjects. TNF-α and sTNFR-I were measured using a quantitative enzyme immunoassay. results In patients with hypothyroidism serum concentrations of TNF-α (3·17 ± 1·18 pg/ml) and sTNFR-I (1273 ± 364 pg/ml) were significantly higher than those found in controls (2·42 ± 0·76 pg/ml, P < 0·05, and 971 ± 235 pg/ml, P < 0·01, respectively). Normalization of thyroid function with... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]