Thyroid function in Yusho patients exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(87)80226-8· OSTI ID:5649519

Murai, K; Okamura, K; Tsuji, H; Kajiwara, E; Watanabe, H; Akagi, K; Fujishima, M

Thyroid function was investigated in 123 Yusho patients who were exposed to toxic levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 16 years ago. In Yusho patients, compared with the patients without evidence of Yusho or normal controls, the serum triiodothyronine (T/sub 3/) and thyroxine (T/sub 4/) levels were significantly higher, while thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels measured by sensitive assay were normal. There was no difference in serum levels of albumin, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, and thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) between the two groups and the prevalence of positive antithyroid autoantibodies was almost the same, suggesting that hyperthyroxinemia in Yusho patients was not due to increased TBG binding or abnormal autoimmune mechanism. Serum free T/sub 4/ levels, however, were not elevated, although T/sub 4//TBG ratio was significantly higher. The thyroid hormone levels were higher than normal value in 4 of 123 Yusho patients but only 1 case had clinical symptoms such as excessive perspiration. Despite higher serum PCBs in Yusho patients, there was no correlation between PCB levels and levels of T/sub 3/, T/sub 4/, or TSH. The present results suggest hyperthyroxinemia without obvious clinical symptoms in Yusho patients long after exposure to PCBs.

• Research Organization: Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka, Japan
• OSTI ID: 5649519
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 44:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEALTH HAZARDS
THYROID
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BLOOD SERUM
LATENCY PERIOD
PATIENTS
THYROXINE
TRIIODOTHYRONINE
TSH
AMINO ACIDS
AROMATICS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FUNCTIONS
GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HORMONES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC IODINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
THYROID HORMONES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology