Pituitary and thyroid function before and after portacaval anastomosis in patients with normal livers.

Basal plasma thyroid hormone, testosterone and cortisol levels, TSH and PRL responses to TRH, and LH and FSH responses to LRH were assessed in six young subjects with normal liver function and anatomy before and after portacaval anastomosis. All tests were normal and unchanged by the operations. It is concluded that in patients with normal liver function, portal systemic shunting does not produce alterations in the pituitary-gonadal and pituitary-thyroid axes. The abnormalities of these endocrine functions in patients with cirrhosis are probably related to the severity of hepatocellular dysfunction rather than to the effects of portal systemic shunting.