RESTING PERIPHERAL BLOOD FLOW IN THE HYPERTHYROID STATE

Abstract

It is well established that cardiac output,¹ blood volume,² pulse pressure³ and pulse rate⁴ are significantly increased in the hyperthyroid state. In view of this, a corresponding augmentation in peripheral blood flow would also be expected. This concept has recently received support from the cutaneous temperature studies of Kirklin and his associates⁵ and from the work of Stewart and Evans,⁶ who measured heat loss in hyperthyroid patients with a Hardy-Soderstrom radiometer.⁷ By means of various calculations, the last-named authors expressed their data as blood flow to the skin in cubic centimeters per minute per square meter of body surface. Thus, they determined that the average blood flow was increased in the hyperthyroid state and decreased during iodine therapy and after subtotal thyroidectomy. Likewise, Kirklin and his associates⁵ reported that the cutaneous temperature of the big toe was significantly elevated before surgical treatment of exophthalmic goiter and that it