PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Harvey, William C
AU  - Yandell, Seth
AU  - Fernandes, Neil
AU  - Barr, Patrick
AU  - Feldman, Mark
TI  - Serum TSH and the influence of statin drugs.
DP  - 2009 May 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 436--436
VI  - 50
IP  - supplement 2
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/supplement_2/436.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/supplement_2/436.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2009 May 01; 50
AB  - 436 Objectives To investigate a possible, previously unreported association between statin drugs and a low serum TSH Methods 307 consecutive patients referred to the Nuclear Medicine Service for presumed hyperthyroidism on the basis of a low serum TSH were reviewed. The clinical evaluation and the radioiodine uptakes and scans were utilized to form a final diagnosis. Results 278 patients (84%) not taking statins had elevated uptakes and were diagnosed hyperthyroid, while only 13 of 29 patients (16%) of the statin patients had high uptakes. 16 patients were diagnosed euthyroid (p<0.001). The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio of a statin user with a low serum TSH having normal RAI was 3.6 (95% CI, 1.6-8.4). Conclusions Statin drugs may falsely lower the serum TSH without altering thyroid function. The cause of this phenomenon is not known.