Study of Serum Total T3 Level in Hepatitis C Related Cirrhosis and It is Relation to Severity of Liver Disease

Abstract

The great majority of patients with acute hepatitis C develop chronic HCV infection. It can ultimately result in liver cirrhosis, hepatic failure (portal hypertension, ascites, and encephalopathy) or hepatocellular carcinoma. Porto systemic encephalopathy is considered as a serious complication of chronic liver disease and is broadly defined as an alteration in mental status and cognitive function occurring the presence of liver failure . Liver plays an important role in the metabolism of thyroid hormones, as it is the most important organ in the peripheral conversion of tetraiodothyronine (T4) to triiodothyronine (T3) by type I iodinase resulting to 5 deiodination of T4.Moreover, it is involved in conjugation and circulation of thyroid hormones by synthesis of thyroid binding protein. It was found that the decrease level of total T3 reflect severity of liver cell failure and hepatic encephalopathy (Vezali et al., 2009). Some studies reported that there is a correlation between serum levels of tT3 and liver cirrhosis.