Serum electrophoretic lipoprotein factors and pseudocholinesterase activity in thyroid disease.

Decreased levels of serum cholesterol and beta-lipoproteins occurring in hyperthyroidism were found to be accompanied by an enchanced activity of pseudocholinesterase, while in patients with myxedema, the pathologically increased levels of serum cholesterol and beta-lipoproteins were associated with diminished serum pseudocholinesterase activity. The percentage of the pre-beta fraction was found to be increased in both hypo- and hyperthyroid patients, but mechanisms leading to this change are probably different in the two pathological conditions. The behaviour of cholesterol and pseudocholinesterase activity and especially the ratio between these paramameters might be used for the diagnosis of thyroid disease and for the control of therapeutic efficiency.