‌Thyroid hormone variations in pre-eclampsia

Abstract Background: Pregnancy is associated with substantial but reversible variations in thyroid function and some studies reveal the appearance of hypothyroidism in pre- eclamptic patients. Objective: To survey the relation between thyroid hormones & TSH and the process of pre-eclampsia. Methods: In this case- control study 40 proteinuric, 40 pre-eclamptic patients and 40 normotensive ones were studied. The samples were matched based on age & gestational age and none of them had previous history of hypertensive or thyroid disorders or took medication that might affect thyroid function. Their venous blood samples were collected using RIA method and thyroid hormones and TSH were measured. Findings: Pre-eclamptic patients had significant lower T4 and higher TSH concentrations compared with normotensive ones (T4: 7.8‏1.7mIu/ml, 10.2‏1.4mIu/ml), (TSH:5.3‏1.5mIu/ml, 3.6‏0.4mIu/ml) (P<0.05). T3 concentration correlated with severity of pre-eclampsia. Severe pre-eclamptic patients had lower T3 than the mild pre- eclamptic ones (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that mild biochemical hypothyroidism is found in proteinuric pre-eclampsia and the concentrations of T3 seem to reflect the severity of pre-eclampsia.