The role of hypothyroidism in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation: a clinical trail

Objective: Hypothyroidism is a relatively common disease around the world; and as a clinical condition due to the lack of secretion of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland, due to some structural and/or functional disorders, thyroid hormone production is defined. The purpose of this study is to investigate the isolation of the problem of mechanical ventilation caused by hypothyroidism in hospitalized patients.

Methods: In this clinical trial, 80 patients admitted to the ICU ward of Imam Reza Hospital and intubated for more than one week were studied. Patients were classified into two subgroups (each subgroup was 40). Levothyroxine was prescribed for the case group 0.1 mg of the first morning; while no Levothyroxine was prescribed to the patients in the control group. Differences between the two groups is evaluated in the time of weaning.

Results: There was a significant difference between two groups regarding TSH, T3 and T4. There was also a significant difference between final outcome of the patients and time of weaning from the mechanical ventilation between the two groups; which can be attributed to the effect of the role of levothyroxine on the recovery of patients and the reduction of weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion: The thyroid function of intubated patients should be monitored to be kept in normal levels to accelerate the recovery of these patients or in some cases prevent them from deterioration.