Thyroid hormone levels in hepatitis B.

Thyroid hormone levels were estimated in fifty patients with hepatitis B. In acute phase, T3 was raised in 10% and T4 in 60%. This rise was directly proportional to the transaminases levels. Twenty cases were also studied in the recovery phase where thyroid hormones returned to within normal limits. This rise of T3 and T4 in acute phase is attributed to increased thyroxin binding capacity due to release of thyroid binding globulin into circulation from necrosing hepatocytes.