Elevated serum thyrotropin [TSH] levels in critically ill patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

STUDY OBJECTIVE To determine thyrotropin (TSH) reserve in critically ill patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). DESIGN Prospective longitudinal. SETTING Six hundred (600) bed municipal hospital serving a poor neighborhood in New York City with a high incidence of AIDS mainly from intravenous drug abuse. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twelve (12) patients with AIDS, who were in the Intensive Care Unit or critically ill on medical wards, were evaluated consecutively with baseline thyroid function tests and serum thyrotropin (TSH) response to thyroid releasing hormone testing. RESULTS 66.7% of patients had elevated TSH levels. All patients had low triiodothyronine (T3), six patients had low thyroxine (T4) levels. RESULTS (cont'd). Six patients met the criteria for hypothyroidism. Two patients met the criteria for subclinical hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION Elevated TSH levels and hypothyroidism are common in our critically ill population with AIDS.