erum total thyroxine （TT4）.triiodothyronine（T3）.Free T3 and Free T4

reverse triiodothyronine（rT3） and thyroid stimulating hormone（TSH） were determined in 118 elderly patients with non-thyroid diseases

30 healthy elderly. Serum TT

4

T

3

.FT

3

FT

4

in the elderly patients were significantlylower than those in the healthy elderly and normal adults （P

<

0. 01 or P

<

0. 05）and rT3 was con-siderablv higher（P

<

0. 01）Serum T3 and FT3 in elderly patients with pulmonary diseases lower inthose complicated with respiratory failure than those without respiratory failure（P

<

0.01）.and rT 3higher（P

<

0.01）. Serum T3 and FT3 in elderly lower in those complicated with severe heart failurethan those without heart failure （P

<

0.01）.and rT3 remarkably higher

Serum T3 and FT3 in patientswith malignant tumor were signficantly lower in those complicated metastasis than those withoutmetastasis （P

<

0.01）

and rT 3 remarkably higher.No significant change in serum T4.FT4 and TSHwas found in those patients

Serum T3

FT 3 and rT3 in the elderly patients can be used to evaluatethe severity of the diseases and to predict their prognoses