USE OF THE ACHILLES-TENDON REFLEX IN THYROID CLINICAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The contraction-times of the ankle-jerks of 1454 patients were statistically analysed. It was found that the mean of the contraction-times of the ankle-jerks in a given group of subjects is highly representative of the net thyroid activity at the end-organ level of this group. This measurement enabled us to show: a highly significant difference between euthyroid males and females. a steadily increasing lengthening of the reflex with age, up to around 40 years old in females, at which time it probably remains constant. a steadily increasing lengthening of the reflex with age in males, even after 40 years of age. a significant difference between euthyroid non-goitrous subjects and »euthyroid« goitrous patients, suggesting that the peripheral thyroid state of these latter patients should be reconsidered. Because the ankle-jerk, used on a statistical basis, is capable of detecting small clinical differences and because of the simplicity of its assessment, it is suggested that this could be utilised as an index of the peripheral thyroid state, together with the other parameters of thyroid metabolism, for the study of thyroid function as a whole.