European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: The levels of thyroid hormone & thyroid binding proteins are altered in patients of
chronic liver disease. Our aim was to assess the serum freeT3 and serum free T4 levels, in alcohol
related liver disease and to find the correlation between thyroid hormone levels and severity of
alcohol related liver disease.
Methods: A cross sectional study, with a sample size of 50, was done to assess the serum free T3
andserum free T4 levels of thyroid function andto correlate them with prognostic factors of alcohol
related liver disease, i.e.MELD-Na - which is derived by adding serum sodium to the original Model
for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and Maddrey’sDiscriminant Function (DF).Statistical
analysis was done with - Chi-Square test, p value <0.001 was considered as statistically significant.
Results: Of the 50 patients, low serum free T3 levels were found in 29 patients, among them15
patients had DF<32; 14 patients had DF>32(p value <0.001), and 14 patients had MELD-Na<24.50;
15 patients had MELD-Na >24.50(p value <0.006). Low serum freeT4 levels were found in 12
patients, among them 4 patients had DF<32;8 patients had DF >32 (p value <0.001), and 8 patients
had MELD <24.50; 4 patients had MELD >24.50(p value <0.825).
Conclusion: Significant decrease in the serum free T3 levels was found in patients of alcohol related
liver disease with Maddrey’sDiscriminant Function >32 and MELD-Na >24.50 (both prognostic
markers of more severe liver disease). Hence, low serum free T3 level can be used as a prognostic
indicator of severity of alcohol related liver disease.