Effects of chronic renal disease on thyroid hormone metabolism.

Serum concentrations of total and free thyroxine and triiodothyronine together with urine losses of unconjugated thyroid hormones have been measured in normal subjects and in patients with renal disease. Serum total hormone values in the hypothyroid range were common the renal group and correlated inversely with the degree of renal impairment but not with renal loss of hormone which in the case of thyroxine exceeded the average normal daily loss ten-fold. The euthyroid state of patients with renal disease was best reflected by serum free thyroxine concentration which in every case was within the normal range. Poor correlation was apparent between the respective urine concentrations of albumin and thyroxine, and the reasons for this are discussed.