[Changes in thyroid hormone levels following severe burns treated topically with povidone-iodine].

The serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and TSH as well as the effective thyroxine ratio (ETR) and the resin-T3-uptake (RT3U) were studied in 23 severely burned patients during the whole time of hospitalisation. Topical treatment was carried out with povidone-iodine. In all patients T4 and T3 concentrations decreased significantly during the first two weeks especially in extensive burns. Lack of increase was a bad prognostic sign. ETR and RT3U underwent no remarkable changes. The TSH levels increased distinctively until the third week, decreased slowly and turned to normal values only in the late period of illness. The influence of iodine uptake due to external application is discussed.