Mild hyperthyroidism indicators

The thyroid gland in the human body can secrete thyroid-stimulating hormone, which can promote various circulations in the human body. However, every indicator in the body should be maintained within normal values. If this value is exceeded, it may cause various diseases. For example, excessive or insufficient release of the thyroid gland can cause thyroid disease. Let’s take a look at the indicators of mild hyperthyroidism.

1. Thyroid hormone secretion indicators: such as serum total T3 (TT3), total T4 (TT4), free T3 (FT3), and free T4 (FT4). The level of secretion index directly reflects the functional status of the thyroid gland. An increase indicates improved function, while a decrease indicates reduced function. T3 and T4 may increase during pregnancy, taking birth control pills, estrogen treatment, etc.; they may decrease during androgen and prednisone treatment, nephrotic syndrome, liver failure, taking phenytoin sodium and phenylbutazone, so the accuracy of the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism is limited.

However, FT3 and FT4 are not affected by the above factors and are currently commonly used laboratory indicators for diagnosing hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. However, most hospitals often check TT3, TT4, FT3, and FT4 together. FT3 accounts for 0.3% of total T3, and FT4 accounts for 0.04% of total T4. Although the content is small, the biological activity is extremely high because only free T3 and T4 can enter the cells and play a physiological role.

FT3 is the first to increase in the early stage of hyperthyroidism or the early stage of relapse, and is of great significance for the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. FT4 also increases in hyperthyroidism, but is the first to decrease in hypothyroidism, and is better than FF3 for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Reverse T3 (rT3): More than 95% is formed by deiodination of T4 during metabolism in peripheral tissues. It has no physiological activity and is of little significance for the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. It rises and falls synchronously with T3, T4, FT3, and FT4 during hyperthyroidism. It only rises in the early stages of hyperthyroidism or relapse of hyperthyroidism. In addition, in non-thyroid diseases, when T3, T4, FT3, and FT4 are normal, rT3 can rise independently.

Hyperthyroidism is located in the neck, and clinically presents symptoms such as swollen neck, heat intolerance and sweating, palpitations and irritability, rapid hunger, impatience and irritability, tremors of fingers and tongue, and weight loss. It is a complex pathological process with multiple organs affected and multiple coexisting pathological mechanisms. Treatment often uses multiple methods and multiple links such as soothing the liver and regulating qi, clearing the liver and purging fire, strengthening the spleen and resolving phlegm, nourishing yin and reducing fire, nourishing the liver and kidneys, calming the mind, removing phlegm and resolving nodules, activating blood circulation and unblocking meridians, and expelling evil toxins, so as to achieve the pathological state of the body's internal environment imbalance.

Both radioactive iodine therapy and surgical treatment are destructive treatments. Hyperthyroidism is not likely to recur and treatment only requires one time. Radioactive iodine is suitable for patients with moderate thyroid enlargement or recurrence of hyperthyroidism. Doctors calculate the radiation dose required for each patient based on the patient's thyroid gland's uptake rate of radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine is absolutely contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women. Because radioactive iodine has a delayed effect, the incidence of hypothyroidism is 3% to 5% per year over time. Radioactive iodine therapy is not suitable for hyperthyroid patients with thyroid eye disease because the eye disease may worsen after treatment.