Serum thyroxine, triiodothyronine, reverse triiodothyronine, thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine binding globulin and thyroxine binding pre-albumin concentrations in healthy African adults.

A study of the serum concentrations of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), thyrotropin (TSH) and the thyroid hormone binding proteins (thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), and thyroxine binding pre-albumin (TBPA)) in non-hospitalized adult Nigerian African subjects was conducted. The subjects were divided into three subgroups, male subjects, non-pregnant female subjects and pregnant female subjects to highlight peculiarities of each sub-group. All three subgroups showed elevation of TBG concentration as compared to British subjects. A statistically significant difference was observed in the concentrations of T4, T3, and TBG in the pregnant female subjects compared to the male and the non-pregnant subjects. A statistically significant difference was also observed between the concentrations rT3 in the male and pregnant female subjects compared to the non-pregnant female subjects. No statistically significant difference was observed between the concentrations of TSH, and TBPA, in all three subgroups, although the mean values for TSH were highest in the pregnant female subjects and the mean values for TBPA and albumin were lowest in this same group. The significance of these findings are discussed in relation to the evaluation of thyroid function in the adult African subject.