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PubMed · 6473111

[Free thyroxine in routine diagnosis].

P Kahn·B Tham
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Abstract

In our hospital the measurement of free thyroxine with the Amerlex FT4-RIA has become a well-established routine screening method. Compared with the determination of total thyroxine we were able to reduce the number of all supplementary thyroid-specific tests, particularly of TBG, by 30%. Even the frequency of triiodothyronine tests decreased whereas the TSH-levels increased slightly. This is probably an indication of a better diagnosis of incipient hypothyroidism. Especially FT4-values in patients undergoing heparin treatment should be interpreted with special care. By changing from total thyroxine to FT4 we have reduced the department's expenditure by about AS 250 000,- annually, without impairing the accuracy of our diagnostics. Compared with former test combinations, specificity and accuracy have improved.

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AustriaCosts and Cost AnalysisHumansNuclear Medicine Department, HospitalRadioimmunoassayReagent Kits, DiagnosticThyroxineEnglish AbstractJournal Article

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P Kahn, B Tham. 1984. [Free thyroxine in routine diagnosis].. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6473111/

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