Abstract

Aim: To search the frequency and features of euthyroid sick syndrome, which occurs during the course of many diseases and acute stress syndrome, in patients admitted to our department with acute coronary syndrome. Material and Method: Seventy patients comprised of 41 (%58.6) men and 29 (%41.4) women with acute coronary syndrome were admitted to İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital coronary care unit between January and June 2009. All the data of the patients were evaluated from hospital records retrospectively. Findings: The frequency of euthyroid sick syndrome in patients with acute coronary syndrome to be 41.4%, while it was 40% in other systemic diseases. The frequency of euthyroid sick syndrome was 25.7% in patients with unstable angina pectoris, 11.4% with ST elevated myocardial infarction and 4.3% in patients with non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction. Low T3 syndrome, the dominant form of euthyroid sick syndrome, was 27.1%. Low T3, T4 syndrome was 7.1%, high T4 syndrome was 4.3 % and low TSH, T3, T4 syndrome was 2.9%. Conclusion: Serum levels of the tyroid hormones in patients with acute coronary syndrome may decrease even below reference ranges without showing metabolic symptoms. This condition is defined as euthyroid sick syndrome and can be frequently seen with other diseases. This is a temporary, but not an ignorable clinical situation. The low serum level of free T3 in acute myocardial infarction is associated with poor prognosis. Thus, different types of Euthyroid Sick Syndrome must be identified and clinicians must pay their utmost attention to the case.