Reversible primary hypothyroidism and elevated serum iodine level in patients with renal dysfunction.

Recovery of thyroid function in patients with both thyroid and renal dysfunction was studied. Among 245 patients with primary hypothyroidism (serum TSH greater than 10 mU/l), 36 had mild to severe renal dysfunction (serum urea nitrogen greater than 7.1 mmol/l and creatinine greater than 106 mumol/l). Of these 36 patients, recovery of the thyroid function after iodine restriction was observed in 30 (83%), in whom an elevated serum non-hormonal iodine level (median 236, range 67-15,591 micrograms/l, N = 19) and a high thyroidal radioactive iodine uptake (51.5 +/- 29.3% at 24 h, N = 26) were observed. The perchlorate discharge test was positive in 7 of 13 patients examined, suggesting an iodide organification defect rather than an atrophic or destructive change in the thyroid. Antithyroid antibodies were negative in 22 patients (73%) and an almost normal thyroid gland or colloid goitre was confirmed histologically in 8 of them. After a 13.2 mg potassium iodide loading test, 24 h urinary excretion of iodine was about 60% in normal controls, but only 10% in a different group of six euthyroid patients with renal dysfunction. These findings suggest that impaired renal handling of iodine rather than autoimmune mechanism may have a significant role in the pathogenesis of reversible hypothyroidism found in patients with renal dysfunction, probably through a prolonged Wolff-Chaikoff effect.