THE EFFECT OF 3:5-DIIODO-d-THYRONINE ON SERUM CHOLESTEROL

Abstract

SUMMARY 3:5-Diiodo-d-thyronine (DT2) was administered for periods of up to 9 months to twenty patients with hypercholesterolaemia, ten of whom suffered from coronary disease and three from cerebral vascular disease. Serum cholesterol levels were significantly depressed in most cases, the mean depression being of the order of 20–25%. Optimum depression was achieved with a dose of 300 mg. daily, there being a tendency to 'escape' on 200 mg./day or less. Patients with angina tended to have increased pain during treatment, some of them while receiving the initial dose of 150 mg. daily, others only when the dose was raised to 200 or 250 mg. daily. One patient originally chosen for the trial developed cardiac infarction before treatment was started. Two other patients with angina developed cardiac infarction after 4 weeks and 5 months, respectively, on doses of 150 mg. daily. DT2 has considerable calorigenic action in man as shown by the biochemical and clinical response of four myxoedematous patients, and in anginal cases maximal depression of serum cholesterol levels cannot be achieved without increasing pain. DT2 might be of value in the prophylaxis of atherosclerosis in cases of symptomless hypercholesterolaemia.