Hyperthyroidism in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1981 Oct;15(4):395-401. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1981.tb00680.x.

Abstract

The thyroid status of twenty-seven African patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) was studied. Fifteen patients were found to be biochemically hyperthyroid (eight patients with choriocarcinoma; seven with hydatidiform mole). Of these fifteen patients, nine were clinically thyrotoxic. The most serious complication of thyrotoxicosis was life-threatening acute pulmonary oedema with associated cardiac failure. It was found that when serum levels of the human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) reached a level of about 0.1 X 10(6) iu/1, thirteen of sixteen patients were biochemically hyperthyroid; at serum levels of 0.3 X 10(6) iu/1 of hCG most patients were clinically thyrotoxic. A feature of hyperthyroidism associated with GTN is that whereas T4 is invariably raised the T3:T4 ratio tends to be low (0.015 +/- 005); rT3:T3 ratios were high in this group. TSH levels were not increased.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Choriocarcinoma / blood
  • Choriocarcinoma / complications*
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydatidiform Mole / blood
  • Hydatidiform Mole / complications*
  • Hyperthyroidism / complications*
  • Pregnancy
  • Thyroid Hormones / blood
  • Uterine Neoplasms / blood
  • Uterine Neoplasms / complications*

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • Thyroid Hormones