CONCENTRATIONS OF IMMUNOREACTIVE THYROTROPHIC HORMONE IN URINE OF NORMAL SUBJECTS, PATIENTS WITH THYROID DISORDERS AND HYPOPITUITARISM, AND AFTER INFUSION OF HUMAN THYROTROPHIC HORMONE

Abstract

SUMMARY: The urinary excretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) has been measured by double antibody radioimmunoassay after concentration by dialysis followed by lyophilization. Among 30 normal subjects, the excretion was 5·6 ± 0·31 (s.e.m.) μu./h. No diurnal variation nor differences between sexes were discerned. In 14 primary hypothyroid subjects the urinary excretion was raised (P < 0·001) to 25·1 ± 3·3 μu./h. In 14 hyperthyroid and 7 hypopituitary subjects subnormal levels of 2·6 ± 0·2 and 2·5 ± 0·22 μu./h (P < 0·001) respectively, were found. Serum and urinary TSH concentrations were measured before, during and after an infusion of human pituitary TSH (MRC 70/9) in two subjects and showed a correlation. Urinary TSH measurement is thus a good discriminant between normal and hyperthyroid or hypopituitary patients.