HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kvetny, J. Articles by Matzen, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kvetny, J. Articles by Matzen, L.

Nuclear tri-iodothyronine (T₃) maximal binding capacity (MBC) and thyroxine- and T₃-stimulated cellular oxygen consumption and glucose consumption were examined in mononuclear blood cells from six patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), in six patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH), and in six healthy control subjects.

Serum T₃ was decreased in patients with LC. The MBC of T₃ was increased significantly (P < 0·05) in cells from patients with LC compared with patients with AH and controls, whereas the equilibrium association constants did not differ. Unstimulated glucose consumption was slightly increased (P < 0·05) in cells from patients with AH and LC compared with controls. Thyroid hormone-stimulated glucose consumption was significantly (P < 0·05) increased in cells from patients with LC compared with controls and patients with AH.

Unstimulated oxygen consumption did not differ between the groups, but thyroid hormone-stimulated oxygen consumption was depressed in cells from patients with AC (P < 0·05) compared with patients with LC and with controls.

We conclude that both thyroid hormone-stimulated glucose consumption and T₃ nuclear receptor binding in cells from patients with LC are increased, and suggest that the observed changes are responsible for maintenance of euthyroidism in the face of reduced circulating T₃.

Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 128, 321–325