Propranolol improves the impaired TSH response to TRH in patients with autonomously functioning euthyroid multinodular goitre

Subclinical thyroid disease

Thyroid disease can roughly be divided into functional and anatomical disorders. Subclinical disease is by definition not accompanied by symptoms or signs and usually goes unrecognized for the bearer (and the observer). In this communication an overview will be given of existing literature and some own results concerning subclinical hypothyroidism, subclinical thyrotoxicosis and thyroid incidentalomas. Apart from definitions, data on prevalence, clinical effects, prognostic significance and the need for and response to therapy will be discussed.

Beta-adrenergic blockade for the treatment of hyperthyroidism

PURPOSE

To review the clinical and biochemical effects of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs on hyperthyroidism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies published since 1972 were identified through a computerized search of MEDLINE and extensive searching of the bibliographies of the articles identified. Based on an understanding of the differences in beta-blocker metabolism in euthyroid and hyperthyroid patients, we reviewed the differences in pharmacokinetics and metabolic and clinical outcomes during their use in hyperthyroidism, as reported in the articles reviewed.

RESULTS

beta Blockers have been used to modify the severity of the hyperadrenergic symptoms of hyperthyroidism for the past 20 years. The clinical efficacy of these agents is affected by hyperthyroid-induced alterations in their gastrointestinal absorption, hepatic metabolism, and renal excretion. The mechanisms whereby these clinical changes are effected is unknown. The agents differ in their beta 1 cardioselectivity, membrane-stabilizing activity, intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, and lipid solubility. They do not appear to alter synthesis or secretion of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. Their effects on thyroxine metabolism are contradictory. Decreased thyroxine to triiodothyronine conversion is caused by some, but not all, beta blockers, and this appears to correlate with membrane-stabilizing activity. There does not appear to be any alteration in catecholamine sensitivity during beta-adrenergic blockade.

CONCLUSIONS

The principal mechanism of action of beta blockers in hyperthyroidism is to antagonize beta-receptor-mediated effects of catecholamines. beta Blockers are effective in treating hypermetabolic symptoms in a variety of hyperthyroid states. Used alone, they offer significant symptomatic relief. They are also useful adjuvants to antithyroid medications, surgery, and radioactive iodide treatment in patients with Graves' disease and toxic nodular goiters.

Characteristics of patients with normal T3 and T4 and a low TSH response to TRH

The nature of the thyroid disorder presented by patients with normal T4 and T3 but blunted TSH response to TRH has not been clarified. In this study, we compared thyroid function tests in 16 such patients with those of 14 controls and 10 hyperthyroid patients. Basal total T4, free T4, total T3, iodine uptake and cholesterol of the study group were similar to controls but significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than in hyperthyroid patients, except for cholesterol which was higher. In contrast, the basal TSH, increase in TSH after TRH stimulation, and decrease of T4 during T3 suppression tests were similar to data obtained in hyperthyroid patients but significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than in controls. Pulse rate was mid-way between the control and the hyperthyroid group. Thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) was measured with human thyroid cells in culture; the assay was positive in four subjects in the 16-patient group and in all hyperthyroid patients tested. TSH stimulation test showed a hyporesponse in iodine uptake in the four patients with positive TSAb (26 +/- 29%), as well as in hyperthyroid patients (6 + 5%). However, there was a hyper-response to TSH (213 +/- 52%) in the remaining 12 patients in the group, none of whom had TSAb. Thus TSAb is not seen as responsible for the thyroid disorder in the majority of patients with normal T3 and T4 and absent or blunted TSH response to TRH; surprisingly, most of these patients have thyroid hypersensitivity to TSH. These two characteristics, absence of TSAb and hypersensitivity to TSH, delineate a thyroid disorder clearly different from Graves' disease.

Hyperthyroxinemia in patients treated with high-dose propranolol

Six patients with hyperthyroxinemia (five men and one woman) were evaluated for possible hyperthyroidism. All were taking large daily doses of propranolol--480 +/- 155 (+/- SE) mg--for treatment of angina pectoris. The patients had no clinical evidence of hyperthyroidism, although three had small goiters. Further evaluation of the patients revealed elevated serum free thyroxine levels and/or free thyroxine index, low-normal serum triiodothyronine levels, and elevated serum reverse triiodothyronine levels in all six. The thyroid-stimulating hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone was normal in two patients, subnormal in three patients, and absent in one patient. One patient was restudied while receiving low-dose propranolol (80 mg a day), with normalization of all thyroid functional parameters. The data suggest that the abnormalities seen in patients taking high doses of propranolol were due to drug-induced blockade of iodothyronine deiodination. Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism are lacking in patients taking large doses of propranolol. If such a patient is discovered to have an elevated serum thyroxine level, a more complete evaluation of thyroid function is necessary before the diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis can be made. The thyrotropin-releasing hormone test may be of particular value in this circumstance.