B Myrup1, C Bregengård, J Faber. 1. Department of Medical Endocrinology, Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: There have been reports on a bleeding tendency in hypothyroidism resembling von Willebrand's disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether altered primary haemostasis is a general phenomenon in thyroid disease. DESIGN/ SETTING: A total of 10 patients with hyperthyroidism and nine patients with hypothyroidism were studied at diagnosis, and during treatment with carbimazole or L-thyroxine, respectively, when euthyroidism had been achieved. RESULTS: In untreated hypothyroidism, template bleeding time was prolonged (median 9.3 min, range 3.8-20.0 min) compared to that in controls (median 4.0 min, range 3.0-6.0 min; P < 0.05), whereas maximal agglutination velocity induced by ristocetin was decreased (38% min-1, range 4-52% min-1 vs. 70% min-1, range 60-81% min-1, P < 0.05). The level of von Willebrand factor antigen in plasma from hypothyroid patients was less than half of the value in hyperthyroid patients. This difference disappeared after euthyroidism was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: We found that changed primary haemostasis is a general feature of hypothyroidism, and that it is resolved after levothyroxine treatment.
OBJECTIVES: There have been reports on a bleeding tendency in hypothyroidism resembling von Willebrand's disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether altered primary haemostasis is a general phenomenon in thyroid disease. DESIGN/ SETTING: A total of 10 patients with hyperthyroidism and nine patients with hypothyroidism were studied at diagnosis, and during treatment with carbimazole or L-thyroxine, respectively, when euthyroidism had been achieved. RESULTS: In untreated hypothyroidism, template bleeding time was prolonged (median 9.3 min, range 3.8-20.0 min) compared to that in controls (median 4.0 min, range 3.0-6.0 min; P < 0.05), whereas maximal agglutination velocity induced by ristocetin was decreased (38% min-1, range 4-52% min-1 vs. 70% min-1, range 60-81% min-1, P < 0.05). The level of von Willebrand factor antigen in plasma from hypothyroidpatients was less than half of the value in hyperthyroidpatients. This difference disappeared after euthyroidism was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: We found that changed primary haemostasis is a general feature of hypothyroidism, and that it is resolved after levothyroxine treatment.
Authors: D Liu; F Jiang; Z Shan; B Wang; J Wang; Y Lai; Y Chen; M Li; H Liu; C Li; H Xue; N Li; J Yu; L Shi; X Bai; X Hou; L Zhu; L Lu; S Wang; Q Xing; W Teng Journal: J Hum Hypertens Date: 2009-06-25 Impact factor: 3.012