THE "EFFECTIVE THYROXINE RATIO" – NEW IN VITRO TEST OF THYROID FUNCTION AND ITS CORRELATION WITH FREE THYROXINE

ABSTRACT The effective thyroxine ratio (ETR) and absolute concentration of free thyroxine (AFT4) were estimated in the sera of 31 normal subjects, 27 hyperthyroid patients, 12 hypothyroid patients and 21 euthyroid pregnant women. The mean ETR value in the controls was 1.0 ± 0.18, in the hyperthyroid patients 1.31 ± 0.25, in the hypothyroid patients 0.71 ± 0.21 and in normal pregnant women 0.99 ± 0.24. The mean AFT4 in the normal subjects was 3.0 ± 0.53 ng/100 ml, in the hyperthyroid patients 9.49 ± 2.44 ng/ 100 ml, in the hypothyroid patients 0.58 ± 0.15 ng/100 ml and in the pregnant women 2.84 ± 0.63 ng/100 ml, respectively. High reproducibility of ETR and a significant positive correlation between ETR and AFT4 with r = 0.96 suggest that ETR might be a suitable in vitro test for routine clinical evaluation of the thyrometabolic state.