A. Poor compliance with medication – Explanation
Thyroid function tests
The interpretation of thyroid function tests is usually straightforward:
| TSH | Free T4 | ||
| Thyrotoxicosis (e.g. Graves’ disease) | Low | High | In T3 thyrotoxicosis the free T4 will be
normal |
| Primary hypothyroidism (primary atrophic hypothyroidism) |
High | Low | |
| Secondary hypothyroidism | Low | Low | Replacement steroid therapy is required
prior to thyroxine |
| Sick euthyroid syndrome | * Low | ** Low | Common in hospital inpatients |
| Poor compliance with thyroxine | High | Normal / high |
|
| Steroid therapy | Low | Normal |
*now referred to as non-thyroidal illness
**TSH may be normal in some cases
