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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Zoey on 10/08/2007 20:10:42

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: Zoey on 10/08/2007 20:10:42

  I had a thyroid test which showed an abnormal level of free T4.
  The TSH was normal: 2.73, ref range: 0.42-5.47 uIU/ml
  Free T4 was high:   2.63, ref range: 0.59-1.17 ng/dl
An article on a physician's web page said that a high free t4 with a normal TSH rules out both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Does the high level of free t4 on my test indicate anything? I have no history of thyroid problems  nor many  symptoms of hyper or hypothyroidism. Is this test result something to cause concern and of what?

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: iko on 10/08/2007 21:01:02

Hi dear Zoey!

welcome back on this crazy thread planet!
I popped in just to say hello, of course,
but I couldn't resist to do a quick search,
even knowing that this is not my field...
(I know nothing!- from: Manuel, FaultyTowers  [;D])
..and I found this old report:

Misleading results from immunoassays of serum free thyroxine in the presence of rheumatoid factor.

---

Norden AG, Jackson RA, Norden LE, Griffin AJ, Barnes MA, Little JA.
Department of Chemical Pathology, Chase Farm Hospitals Trust, Middlesex, UK. 100127.1142@compuserve.com

A novel interference with measurements of serum free thyroxine (FT4) caused by rheumatoid factor (RhF) is described. We found misleading, sometimes gross, increases of FT4 results in 5 clinically euthyroid elderly female patients with high RhF concentrations. All 5 patients had high FT4 on Abbott AxSYM or IMx analyzers. "NETRIA" immunoassays gave misleading results in 4 of the 5 patients; Amerlex-MAB in 2 of 4 patients; AutoDELFIA in 2 of the 5; and Corning ACS-180 and Bayer Diagnostics Immuno 1 in 1 of the 5. BM-ES700 system results for FT4 in these women remained within the reference range. Results for serum T4, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, thyroid-hormone-binding globulin, and FT4 measured by equilibrium dialysis were normal in all 5 patients. Drugs, albumin-binding variants, and anti-thyroid-hormone antibodies were excluded as interferences. Addition to normal serum of the RhF isolated from each of the 5 patients increased the apparent FT4 (Abbott AxSYM). Screening of 83 unselected patients demonstrated a highly significant positive correlation between FT4 (Abbott AxSYM) and RhF concentrations. Discrepant, apparently increased FT4 with a normal result for thyroid-stimulating hormone should lead to measurement of the patient's RhF concentration.

Clin Chem. 1997 Jun;43(6 Pt 1):957-62.

---

It is old and may be obsolete (new techniques), so I wouldn't check rheumatoid F just for this.
I'll let you know if anything interesting comes from my endocrolleagues!
Take care

ikoD

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: Zoey on 11/08/2007 04:49:21

Thanks Iko!
 Nice to see you are still cod fishing here! Another physician said the results are insignificant, given the normal TSH, but should get retested in a year. No symptoms of Rheumatism, hyper-or hypothyroidism, so no worries.  Hope all is well with you and your family.
:)
Zoey

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: Zoey on 11/08/2007 04:55:36

p.s.
Of course, if this did mean a thyroid problem, CLO mightstill  be the first choice in natural medicine:

Journal of Nutrition Vol. 9 No. 2 February 1935, pp. 123-129
Copyright © 1935 by American Society for Nutrition This Article
 
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Further Studies on the Effect of Cod Liver Oil on the Thyroid Gland
Two Flates (Six Figures)
T. C. Sherwood and W. G. Luckner

Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington


Vitamin A apparently causes some change in the thyroid gland of rats.

Iodine present in the cod liver oil was not responsible for any change in the thyroid gland. However, iodine in the approximate amount found in cod liver oil, given in the form of potassium iodide had a decided effect on the thyroid structure of the rat.

A previous report of the senior author ('34) has been repeated and confirmed.

Due to the various results obtained, it is concluded that carotene and cod liver oil do not produce identical thyroid pictures, but in many respects these are similar.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manuscript received 30 July 1934.

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: iko on 11/08/2007 17:34:27

Wow!
Talking about historical papers!
Well, I must say that thyroid problems are better managed with more specific and effective 'therapeutic presidia' than old nice cod liver oil these days...
Thank you, everything is fine around here: boys are wondering on the Planet Earth (one in a Canada-California trip, 'little cody boy' camping in Tuscany).
My wife and I are planning a long drive to Portugal next Sept. for two weeks in our old wrecky (220000Km!)...we might end up stuck somewhere in Spain!
I still work until the end of August.
How is your spinal B12 studying going?
Your Old Library searching capability is certainly great.
Cheers,

ikoD

Title: Thyroid panel-what do these test results mean?
Post by: Zoey on 12/08/2007 08:33:16

 You and your wife's  trip to Portugal sounds like  a great adventure! I'm tentatively planning to move in the next month or two, so all projects are on hold. My old chevy  250,000 miles [402,000 km?],is getting new tires and a tune up for travelling. If you get stuck in Spain, think of all the nice people you'll meet!