AIM: To assay the pattern of thyroid hormone alternations in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients. METHODS: 50 SIRS patients were enrolled, divided into two groups as to whether they got MODS. Thyroid hormone measurements were taken, including total T_3 (TT_3), total T_4 (TT_4), free T_3 (FT_3), free T_4 (FT_4) and TSH. The acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ) score was calculated according to clinical data. Outcome (recovery or deterioration) was recorded, as well as the length of time from the onset of SIRS to the day when thyroid hormones were measured (the duration of SIRS). RESULTS: Euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) was presented in 45 cases. TT_3 level was negatively correlated with APACHEⅡscore (r=-0.330, P0.05). CONCLUSION: SIRS patients has high possibility to get ESS, which happens more frequently and severely in MODS patients. With the persistence and aggravation of SIRS, there is a progression of thyroid hormone reduction.

The patients with systemic inflammatory reaction syndrome had high possibility to get euthyroid sick syndrome, which happened more frequently and severely in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, reflecting that inflammation or cytokines may affect the hypothalamic- pituitary-thyroid axis.