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A potential role of activated NF-kappa B in the pathogenesis of euthyroid sick syndrome.

Euthyroid sick syndrome, characterized by low serum 3,5, 3'-triiodothyronine (T(3)) with normal L-thyroxine levels, is associated with a wide variety of disorders including sepsis, malignancy, and AIDS. The degree of low T(3) in circulation has been shown to correlate with the severity of the underlying disorders and with the prognosis. Elevated TNF-alpha levels, which accompany severe illness, are associated with decreased activity of type I 5'-deiodinase (5'-DI) in liver, leading us to speculate that high levels of this factor contribute to euthyroid sick syndrome. Here we demonstrate that the activation of NF-kappa B by TNF-alpha interferes with thyroid-hormone action as demonstrated by impairment of T(3)-dependent induction of 5'-DI gene expression in HepG2 cells. Inhibition of NF-kappa B action by a dominant-negative NF-kappa B reversed this effect and allowed T(3) induction of 5'-DI. Furthermore, we show that an inhibitor of NF-kappa B activation, clarithromycin (CAM), can inhibit TNF-alpha-induced activation of NF-kappa B and restore T(3)-dependent induction of 5'-DI mRNA and enzyme activity. These results suggest that NF-kappa B activation by TNF-alpha is involved in the pathogenesis of euthyroid sick syndrome and that CAM could help prevent a decrease in serum T(3) levels and thus ameliorate euthyroid sick syndrome.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Possible etiology for euthyroid sick syndrome.

Euthyroid sick syndrome is possibly due to an increase in Triac (a T3 analogue) and/or Tetrac (a T4 analogue). Triac and/or Tetrac possibly feed back on the pituitary/hypothalamus region and cause a secondary hypothyroidism. This is possibly analogous to such diverse conditions as fetal thyroid function and black bear hibernation.

Animals↗

Reverse T3 does not reliably differentiate hypothyroid sick syndrome from euthyroid sick syndrome.

To assess the efficacy of reverse T3 in differentiating between the hypothyroid and euthyroid state in the setting of illness, all reverse T3 determinations obtained over a 4-year period in a University teaching hospital were analyzed in the context of concurrent thyroid function tests, bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, subsequent treatment, and follow-up. Based on T4 (or free T4 index) and TSH, the thyroidal state of the patient and the appropriateness of the reverse T3 determination were assigned. A total of 262 reverse T3 determinations were made in 246 patients. There is an inverse linear relationship between the log TSH and the reverse T3. Patients with hypothyroidism plus illness may have a normal reverse T3 and patients with euthyroidism may have a low reverse T3. Reverse T3 is linearly related to bilirubin up to a bilirubin of approximately 171 microM (10 mg/dL). Sixty percent of the reverse T3 determinations were obtained for seemingly inappropriate indications. In association with a low free T4 index/T4, an unmeasurable reverse T3 did not lead to institution of thyroid hormone treatment in over 52% of cases. Although reverse T3 may be elevated in the setting of nonthyroidal illness, it is not reliable in distinguishing between the hypothyroid sick patient and the euthyroid sick patient. This is probably because of drug and disease effects on thyroid hormone metabolism as well as the presence of sufficient T4 substrate for conversion to reverse T3 in many hypothyroid sick patients.

Adolescent↗

[Euthyroid sick syndrome].

The "euthyroid sick syndrome", representing the changes of thyroid hormone metabolism in disease, embraces the following hormonal changes: 1) A decrease in serum T3 levels which is often accompanied by an increase in rT3 levels. Serum T4 levels remain normal. These changes are extremely frequent in many varied diseases. 2) In very severe disease, serum T4 levels may also decrease. The free T4 index is often decreased and the free T4 may either be normal or decreased. These changes reflect alterations of thyroid hormone metabolism and can be distinguished from primary hypothyroidism by a normal serum TSH level. 3) Occasionally there are transient increases of total and free T4. This disturbance of serum thyroid hormone levels is mostly due to drug interference with thyroid hormone metabolism (amiodarone etc.). Differentiation from hyperthyroidism is difficult. It is important to diagnose the "euthyroid sick syndrome" since this will avoid erroneous diagnosis and treatment or hypo- and hyperthyroidism.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Heart failure accompanied by sick euthyroid syndrome and exercise training.

Sick euthyroid syndrome is defined as the decrease of serum free triiodothyronine with normal free L-thyroxin and thyrotropin. Its appearance in patients with chronic heart failure is an indicator of severity. Exercise training through a wide variety of mechanisms reverses sick euthyroid syndrome (normalization of free triiodothyronine levels) and improves the ability to exercise. There is a connection during exercise among dyspnea, hyperventilation, fatigue, catecholamines, a decrease in the number and function of beta-blocker receptors, and elevation of serum free triiodothyronine. It is not known whether sick euthyroid syndrome contributes to the development of heart failure or is only an attendant syndrome.

Aged↗

Immunoneutralization of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6 or interferon does not prevent the LPS-induced sick euthyroid syndrome in mice.

The sick euthyroid syndrome is a state of altered thyroid hormone metabolism which occurs during illness. The pathogenesis is incompletely understood but recent studies indicate a role of cytokines. It is unknown if cytokines released during illness are directly responsible for the changes in thyroid hormone metabolism. Therefore we studied if previous immunoneutralization of cytokines can prevent endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide LPS), induced sick euthyroid syndrome. LPS administration resulted in systemic illness, an increase in serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 and a decrease in serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Immunoneutralization of the effects of cytokines was accomplished by administration of monoclonal antibodies against mouse IL-1 type-1 receptor (IL-1R), TNF alpha, IL-6 or interferon (IFN gamma) prior to LPS. The LPS-induced release of cytokines was affected by previous immunoneutralization as compared with control experiments with normal immunoglobulin (IgG): anti-IL-1R did not affect serum TNF alpha but decreased serum IL-6, anti-TNF alpha decreased serum TNF alpha but not IL-6, anti-IL-6 did not affect serum TNF alpha but hugely increased IL-6 and anti-IFN gamma decreased both serum TNF alpha and IL-6. Specific immunoneutralization of IL-1, TNF alpha or IFN gamma did not prevent the LPS-induced decrease in serum T3, T4 and liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA. However, immunoneutralization of IL-6, although not preventing the fall in serum T3 and T4, did mitigate the LPS-induced decrease in liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA. In view of possible non-specific effects of the huge dose of immunoglobulins (1 mg), used only in the immunoneutralization of IL-6, we repeated the experiment with F(ab')2 fragments of anti-IL-6 antibodies. Compared with F(ab')2 fragments of control IgG, anti-IL-6 F(ab')2 did not affect the LPS-induced rise in serum TNF alpha or the decrease in serum T3 and T4 and liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA. Serum IL-6 levels induced by LPS were, however, cleared more rapidly from the circulation when anti-IL-6 F(ab')2 fragments rather than intact anti-IL-6 were administered. In conclusion, immunoneutralization of IL-1, TNF alpha or IFN gamma did not prevent the LPS-induced sick euthyroid syndrome in mice; immunoneutralization of IL-6, however, transiently inhibits the LPS-induced decrease of liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA.

Animals↗

Dopamine and the sick euthyroid syndrome in critical illness.

OBJECTIVE: The sick euthyroid syndrome is a poorly understood hallmark of critical illness. Dopamine is a natural catecholamine with hypophysiotrophic properties, that is used as an inotropic agent of first choice in intensive care medicine. We explored the effect of dopamine infusion (5 micrograms/kg/min) on the sick euthyroid syndrome of critically ill patients. PATIENTS AND DESIGN: In a prospective, randomized, controlled and open-labelled study of critically ill, adult polytrauma patients (n = 12), we evaluated the effect of prolonged (83-296 hours) dopamine infusion (5 micrograms/kg/min i.v.) on the thyroid axis. The effect of brief (15-21 hours) dopamine administration was documented in an additional randomized, controlled, cross-over study involving 10 patients. The median age of the studied patients was 29 (16-83) years. MEASUREMENTS: Serum TSH concentrations were measured by IRMA. The TSH profiles were obtained by blood sampling every 20 minutes for 9 hours during two consecutive nights. Serum T4, T3 and reverse T3 concentrations were measured by RIA once per study night. RESULTS: Withdrawal of prolonged dopamine infusion was found to elicit a tenfold increase of serum thyrotrophin concentrations, a 57 and 82% rise of T4 and T3 respectively, and an increase of the T3/rT3 ratio, resulting in virtual normalization of the thyroid axis within 24 hours. The brief dopamine infusion was documented to have a suppressive effect on the thyroid axis within 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Dopamine infusion appears to induce or aggravate the sick euthyroid syndrome in critical illness. As a consequence, the sick euthyroid syndrome of severely ill patients receiving dopamine may be not an adaptive mechanism, but a condition of iatrogenic hypothyroidism.

Adolescent↗

[Prevalence and prognosis significance of euthyroid sick syndrome in critical illness].

The prevalence and prognosis of the sick euthyroid syndrome (SES) was studied in 91 patients admitted to the ICU by determining free thyroid hormones (FT3 and FT4), T3 reverse (rT3) and thyrotropin (TSH). The prevalence of SES was lower than expected, type I being higher that type II. The acute coronary syndrome had a lower prevalence of SES than other clinical conditions. Patients who developed type II SES had a higher mortality rate.

Critical Illness↗

Sick euthyroid syndrome in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Changes in peripheral thyroid hormone concentration and metabolism can occur in euthyroid patients suffering from severe non-thyroidal illnesses. Recently, sick euthyroid syndrome has been reported in patients suffering from advanced heart failure. AIM: This study was to evaluate prospectively the presence and pathophysiological implications of sick euthyroid syndrome in moderate-to-severe chronic heart failure patients. METHODS: The study population were 199 chronic heart failure patients admitted over a 2-year period to our heart failure unit for assessment of cardiac transplantation. They were closely followed up with clinical and instrumental examinations (including clinical, hormonal, nutritional and cardiac function evaluations). Sick euthyroid syndrome was defined as a serum total triiodothyronine value of less than the lowest normal limit (< 1.23 nmol.l-1) in the presence of a normal serum thyroid stimulating hormone concentration. RESULTS: Sick euthyroid syndrome was found in 36/199 patients (18%). According to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification of severity of heart failure, sick euthyroid syndrome patients appear in higher NYHA classes (31% of classes III and IV, vs 7% of class I and II). Such patients also weigh less and are more frequently malnourished. Alterations in cardiac index, ventricular filling pressures, functional impairment, and the liver function parameters, were more significant in sick euthyroid syndrome than in non-sick euthyroid syndrome patients. Serum norepinephrine and atrial natriuretic factor were significantly higher, and insulin significantly lower in the sick euthyroid syndrome group. During follow-up, deaths were significantly more frequent in sick euthyroid syndrome patients (13/27, 48%) than in non-sick euthyroid syndrome (30/141, 21%; P < 0.005). In six sick euthyroid syndrome patients who underwent heart transplantation, mean total triiodothyronine values increased from 0.9 +/- 0.1 before to 1.96 +/- 0.3 nmol.l(-1)post-transplantation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In a large and representative population of patients with moderate-to-severe heart failure, sick euthyroid syndrome shows a prevalence of 18%. Its occurrence was related to the degree of functional cardiac impairment, but was not an independent negative prognostic factor. Preliminary results indicate that heart transplantation is associated with reversibility of sick euthyroid syndrome.

Adult↗

Nonthyroidal illness syndrome or euthyroid sick syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) and to discuss various underlying potential biochemical mechanisms for this condition. METHODS: The pertinent medical literature was reviewed, and studies of thyroid function in systemic non-thyroidal illnesses were summarized. RESULTS: Abnormalities of thyroid function in the NTIS have been classified into four major categories: (1) low triiodothyronine (T3) syndrome, (2) a combination of low T3 and low thyroxine (T4), (3) high T4 syndrome, and (4) other abnormalities. The NTIS has been noted in essentially all severe systemic illnesses and after caloric deprivation, major operations, and administration of some drugs. Some mechanisms that may contribute to low serum T3 in the NTIS are decreased type I 5 -monodeiodinase in tissues, decreased uptake of T4 by tissues, decreased serum binding, increased reverse T3, alterations in selenium status, cytokines, and a decrease in thyrotropin. Decreased thyrotropin may also contribute to low T4 levels in NTIS, as may decreased serum T4-binding proteins, abnormalities in T4-binding globulin, and circulating inhibitors of binding of T4 to serum proteins. Although T4 treatment of patients with NTIS has yielded little improvement, administration of T3 has produced some beneficial effects. CONCLUSION: Further studies should be conducted to determine appropriate patient populations, dose-response ratios, and possible adverse effects of treatment of the NTIS with T3.

Journal Article↗

Regulation of hepatocyte thyroxine 5'-deiodinase by T3 and nuclear receptor coactivators as a model of the sick euthyroid syndrome.

The syndrome of nonthyroidal illness, also known as the sick euthyroid syndrome, is characterized by a low plasma T3 and an "inappropriately normal" plasma thyrotropin in the absence of intrinsic disease of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. The syndrome is due in part to decreased activity of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase (5' D-I), the hepatic enzyme that converts thyroxine to T3 and that is induced at the transcriptional level by T3. The hypothesis tested is that cytokines decrease T3 induction of 5' D-I, resulting in decreased T3 production and hence a further decrease in 5' D-I. The proposed mechanism is competition for limiting amounts of nuclear receptor coactivators between the 5' D-I promoter and the promoters of cytokine-induced genes. Using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, we demonstrate that interleukins 1 and 6 inhibit the T3 induction of 5' D-I RNA and enzyme activity. This effect is at the level of transcription and can be partially overcome by exogenous steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1). The physical mass of endogenous SRC-1 is not affected by cytokine exposure, and exogenous SRC-1 does not affect 5' D-I in the absence of cytokines. The data support the hypothesis that cytokine-induced competition for limiting amounts of coactivators decreases hepatic 5' D-I expression, contributing to the etiology of the sick euthyroid syndrome.

Animals↗

[The euthyroid sick syndrome. Its incidence and clinical significance in an internal medicine department].

In this paper the authors have evaluated the incidence and the clinical implications of sick euthyroid syndrome (SES) in a group of 144 patients in a department of internal medicine. SES is an alteration of thyroid hormone values in the absence of a thyroid disease, which is seen in patients suffering from serious diseases. Having classified SES into 3 subgroups according to the different alterations seen in the values of T3, T4, FT3, FT4, TSH, rT3 and TBG, they show the hypotheses that explain the biochemical mechanisms which are at the basis of these hormonal alterations. Fourteen of the 144 patients under observation were excluded as they were suffering from ascertained or subclinical thyroid disease. Thirty (23% of cases) of the remaining 130 patients had alterations of the thyroid hormones in accordance with SES diagnosis. Of these 30 patients, 19 had hormone values found in SES type I (63%), 2 in SES type II (6.5%) and 9 in SES type III (30.5%). In SES type I the diseases seen, in order of frequency, were: obstructive chronic bronchopneumopathy with acute respiratory failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, cardiac failure, chronic renal failure, liver diseases, acute cerebral vasculopathies, sepsis and collagenopathies. The disease seen in the 2 cases of SES type II was obstructive chronic bronchopneumopathy with acute respiratory failure. In SES type III the diseases seen were, in order of frequency: diabetic ketoacidosis, lung diseases, ischemic heart disease, cardiac failure, peripheral arteriopathies, acute cerebral vasculopathies, neoplasms, liver diseases, acute renal failure. The incidence of SES in 23% of the admitted to hospital patients was found to be slightly higher than in other studies; this could be explained by a stricter selection of inpatients: in fact self-sufficient patients or those not needing urgent admission, were sent to an efficient out patient clinic where necessary examinations were quickly carried out, hospitalization being reserved for patients with more serious illnesses. We would like to underline how the incidence of SES is much greater than that of what is known as thyroid disease (23% compared to 5%), thereby confirming that it is the most frequent cause of alterations of thyroid hormones. With regard to the pathogenetical hypotheses, it is confirmed that in SES, the reduction of T3 values is accompanied by an increase in the values of rT3 as for reduced activity of 5-desiodinasis enzyme. In SES type III the increase of T4 values is due to the increase of TBG resulting in an increase in the link for T4 and therefore a reduced peripheral hormone activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aged↗

Early manifestations of "sick euthyroid" syndrome in patients with compensated chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: A "sick euthyroid" syndrome occurs in patients with severe decompensated chronic heart failure (CHF) and other chronic illnesses and is related to adverse prognosis, but it has not been described in patients with compensated CHF. The aim of this study was to determine whether manifestations of the sick euthyroid syndrome occur in patients with compensated CHF caused by ischemic heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thyroid hormonal responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation were compared in 8 patients with New York Heart Association class I/II CHF considered secondary to ischemic heart disease and 7 control patients after serial 10-minute blood sampling over 3-hour periods. Secretory dynamics of TRH-induced thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) release were compared by using deconvolution analysis. Changes in serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), reverse T3 (rT3), and rT3/T4 concentration ratios were compared. Patients with CHF had lower baseline serum T3 concentrations (P <.001), with lower maximum serum T(3) (P <.01) and higher maximum serum rT(3) (P <.05) concentrations after TRH stimulation but similar estimated TRH-induced TSH secretory burst amplitude, mass, and 3-hour production rates, compared with control patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with compensated CHF display the derangements in thyroid hormone metabolism of impaired peripheral conversion of T4 and T3 and increased production of rT(3) in the presence of normal dynamic function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, which are consistent with early manifestations of a sick euthyroid state.

Aged↗

The role of cytokines in the lipopolysaccharide-induced sick euthyroid syndrome in mice.

To evaluate the role of cytokines in the sick euthyroid syndrome, we tried to establish an animal model of non-thyroidal illness in mice by the administration of a sub-lethal dose of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) which induces a variety of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor (TNF alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-gamma (IFN gamma). When compared with pair-fed controls, a single dose of LPS resulted in (a) systemic illness, (b) induction of TNF alpha and IL-6 and (c) a decrease of liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA from 4 h onwards followed by a decrease of serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) at 8 h and of serum free T3 (fT3) and free T4 (fT4) at 24 h; serum TSH remained unchanged. We then studied whether a single dose or a combination of IL-1 alpha, TNF alpha, IL-6 or IFN gamma could induce the sick euthyroid syndrome in mice, again using pair-fed controls. None of the cytokines except IL-1 alpha caused systemic illness, and IL-1 alpha was the only cytokine that decreased liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA transiently. IL-1 alpha, TNF alpha or IL-6 did not decrease serum T3, T4 and TSH, but administration of IFN gamma decreased serum T4, T3 and fT3 in a dose-dependent manner without changes in serum TSH. Administration of all four cytokines together had no synergistic effects; observed changes were of a smaller magnitude than after LPS. The following conclusions were reached.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Selective macrophage depletion in the liver does not prevent the development of the sick euthyroid syndrome in the mouse.

A decreased serum triiodothyronine (T3) level is one of the main characteristics of the sick euthyroid syndrome, caused mainly by a decreased 5'-deiodination of thyroxine (T4) in the liver. Cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the changes in thyroid hormone metabolism during illness. We therefore investigated the role of cytokines produced by the liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) in the development of the sick euthyroid syndrome, which was induced in mice by a single injection of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) or by 24-h starvation. Experiments were carried out with or without previous selective depletion of liver macrophages by intravenous administration of liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene diphosphonate. Relative to saline-injected pair-fed controls, the administration of lipopolysaccharide caused a decrease of serum T3 and T4 and liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA. Selective depletion of liver macrophages, did not affect these changes. Starvation for 24h decreased serum T3 and T4, associated with a slight decrease of liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA. There were no differences between macrophage-depleted and non-depleted animals in this respect. In summary, selective depletion of liver macrophages did not affect the decrease in serum T3, T4 or liver 5'-deiodinase mRNA induced by lipopolysaccharide or 24-h starvation in mice. We conclude that cytokines produced by Kupffer cells are not involved in the pathogenesis of the sick euthyroid syndrome in this experimental model.

Animals↗

TSH secretion in Cushing's syndrome: relation to glucocorticoid excess, diabetes, goitre, and the 'sick euthyroid syndrome'.

Thyrotrophin (TSH) secretion was studied in 63 patients with Cushing's syndrome (53 patients with pituitary dependent Cushing's disease, eight with adrenocortical tumours, and two with the ectopic ACTH syndrome). Prior to treatment, TSH response to 200 micrograms of TRH intravenously was significantly decreased compared to controls; TSH response was 'flat' (increment less than 2 mU/l) in 34 patients (54%). Patients with a flat response to TRH had significantly higher morning and midnight cortisol levels than patients with a TSH response of 2 mU/l and more; this was not due to differences in serum thyroid hormone levels. Basal TSH, TSH increment after TRH, and stimulated TSH value, but not serum triiodothyronine, were correlated with cortisol measurements (0800 h serum cortisol, midnight cortisol, and urinary free corticoid excretion). After exclusion of 40 patients with additional disease (severe systemic disease, diabetes mellitus, or goitre), cortisol-TSH correlations were even more pronounced (r = -0.73 for midnight cortisol and stimulated TSH levels), while in the patients with additional complications, these correlations were slight or absent. Successful treatment in 20 patients was associated with a rise in thyroid hormone levels and the TSH response to TRH. These results indicate that (1) the corticoid excess but not serum T3 is the principal factor regulating TSH secretion in Cushing's syndrome, (2) a totally flat response to TRH is rare, and (3) TSH suppression and lower than normal serum thyroid hormone levels are reversible after treatment. Since factors like severe systemic disease, diabetes mellitus and goitre also affect TSH secretion, they tend to obscure the statistically significant correlations between cortisol excess and TSH secretion.

Adult↗