Abstract:
Thyroid hormones play an important role in maintenance of body growth by
modulating metabolism and immune system. Critical illness decreases 5’deiodenase
activity, thereby decreasing T4 to T3 conversion and rT3 clearance. Increased
metabolic clearance of T4 in critical illness further diverts T4 to form inactive isomer
of rT3. Therefore, T3 decreases and rT3 increases. Thyroid dysfunction is associated
with increased mortality of patients admitted to ICU. This study was done to evaluate
prognostic value of free T3, total T3, TSH, free T4 and total T4 in ICU patients.
