Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The low FT3 syndrome is known as associated with a high risk of death within a short time. Less is a long-term observations, and only a few concerning patients on chronic dialysis.

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the value of thyroid hormones on hemodialysis are a predictor of risk of death in the follow-up of 5 years.

Results: The study included 89 patients (58 men) undergoing dialysis in the period from 01 Jan 2008 to 30 Jun 2013. In this time 55 people died, 7 received a kidney transplant, 27 is still on dialysis. The probability survival was significantly positively correlated with baseline FT3. Patients alive after 5 years had a higher initial level of FT3 (2.74±0.55 pg/ml) than patients died during the 5 year follow-up (2.51±0.56 pg/ml), but the difference was significant in the test Mann–Whitney (P<0.05), indicating rather non-homogeneity both groups than the simple proportionality.

In 2008, 47% of patients had FT3 below the normal range at our lab, and in 2013 55% of those who survived 5 years. Such relationship was not found for FT4 or TSH. While it was slow but statistically significant increase in TSH values with time on dialysis (P<0.05).

We also found a statistically significant negative correlation between dialysis adequacy ratio kt/v, with the level of FT4, in the both surveys from 2008 and from 2013.

Conclusion: Examination of the pituitary–thyroid can be useful in assessing the risk of death of patients on chronic dialysis and dialysis adequacy.