T4 but not T3 administration is associated with increased recurrence of Graves' disease after successful medical therapy.

TSH has been incriminated in Graves' disease for increasing the production of antibodies against TSH receptor (TRAb). It has been, therefore, suggested that T4 administration after successful antithyroid drug (ATD) treatment may indirectly decrease the production of TRAb and, therefore, the frequency of recurrence of hyperthyroidism. To study the role of T4 and T3 on the recurrence rate of Graves' disease 108 patients with Graves' disease (22 males, age: 49.

The predominant form of non-toxic goiter in Greece is now autoimmune thyroiditis.

Endemic non-toxic goiter (NTG) in Greece has been attributed primarily to iodine deficiency. Thirty years ago about 60% of the prepubertal boys and girls examined in endemic goiter regions presented with NTG and among them thyroid autoimmunity was rarely detected. Although iodine supplementation has corrected this deficiency during the past 30 years, new cases of NTG still appear.

Flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired in subjects with hypothyroidism, borderline hypothyroidism, and high-normal serum thyrotropin (TSH) values.

Patients with hypothyroidism are considered to have an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis; because endothelial dysfunction is an early sign of atherosclerosis, we investigated whether endothelial dysfunction is present in patients with hypothyroidism. Thirty-five subjects with various TSH levels were investigated by high-resolution ultrasound imaging of the brachial artery to assess endothelial and smooth muscle responses. Flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was significantly higher in subjects with TSH 0.

Clinical, laboratory and immunologic effects of the treatment of endemic goiter with T4, T3 and KI.

We treated 204 patients with endemic nontoxic goiter with T4, T3 and KI, singly or in combination. Definitely nodular goiters were excluded, since the possibility of autonomy would be increased. Goiter size was evaluated before and 6 months after treatment clinically in a blind way, i.

The relation of serum T4 and TSH with the urinary iodine excretion.

The urinary iodine excretion, expressed as the iodine/creatinine (I/Cr) ratio, was correlated with the serum T4 and TSH levels in persons with a relatively constant iodine intake for at least 6 months. It was found that the group with an I/Cr ratio of 151-200 micrograms/g had on average the lowest serum TSH and the highest serum T4 level. The differences in serum TSH from the other groups were statistically significant, whereas the differences in serum T4 were not.

A simple and reproducible method for the estimation of triiodothyronine uptake (thyroxine binding index) using a new adsorbent.

A simple, rapid and reproducible method for the determination of triiodothyronine uptake using heat-treated wheat flour (TWF) as adsorbent is described. Three ml of TWF suspension in barbital buffer containing 125I triiodothyronine is added to 0.1 ml of serum sample in a plastic tube.

Radioassay of serum folate with use of pig plasma folate binders.

Pig plasma has been used as a source of specific folate binders for the development of a rapid radioassay to measure the concentration of folate in serum. The assay uses 3H-pteroylglutamic acid as tracer and N-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid for the construction of the standard curve. The assay is run in a two-step incubation system of 15 min each at room temperature.

The effect of ionizing irradiation on the oxidation of palmitate-1-14C by thymus and liver.

New Zealand rabbits, fasted for 12 hours, were subjected to 500 rads of whole-body irradiation. K+-palmitate-1-14C oxidation was assayed with the 600 X g supernatant of thymus and liver homogenates, in the presence of ATP, at various time intervals from irradiation. For a period of 24 hours following irradiation, oxidation by liver preparations was not significantly affected.

The effect of ionizing irradiation on the lipid biosynthesis by thymus and liver.

New Zealand rabbits, fasted for 12 hours, were subjected to 500 rads of whole-body irradiation. Analysis of thymus lipids, at various time intervals following irradiation, showed a threefold increase of triglycerides at 24 hours. Fatty acid composition of the 600 X g supernatant was not affected at 24 hours after irradiation.

The isolation and partial characterization of glycolipids of normal human leucocytes.

1. The lipids of purified human leucocytes were extracted with chloroform-methanol and the extract was washed with water. Glycolipids, isolated by Florisil chromatography, were subjected to mild alkaline hydrolysis and the alkali-resistant fraction was fractionated on a silicic acid column.