Abstract
Design
Retrospective, multi-centre, observational study.
Patients
Adult patients with Graves’ disease treated with radioiodine with 12 months’ follow-up.
Measurements
Euthyroidism was defined as both serum thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) within their reference ranges or, when only one was available, it was within its reference range; hypothyroidism as TSH ≥ 10 mu/L, or subnormal FT4 regardless of TSH; hyperthyroidism as TSH below and FT4 above their reference ranges; dysthyroidism as the sum of hypo- and hyperthyroidism; subclinical hypothyroidism as normal FT4 and TSH between the upper limit of normal and <10 mu/L; subclinical hyperthyroidism as low TSH and normal FT4
Results
Of 812 patients studied post-radioiodine, hypothyroidism occurred in 80.7% and hyperthyroidism in 48.6% of patients. Three principal post-radioiodine management strategies were employed: (a) anti-thyroid drugs alone, (b) levothyroxine alone and (c) combination of the two. Differences among these were small. Adherence to national guidelines regarding monitoring thyroid function in the first 6 months was low (21.4–28.7%). No negative outcomes (new-onset/exacerbation of Graves’ orbitopathy, weight gain, cardiovascular events), were associated with dysthyroidism. There were significant differences in demographics, clinical practice, and thyroid status post-radioiodine between centres.
Conclusions
Dysthyroidism in the 12 months post-radioiodine was common. Differences between post-radioiodine strategies were small, suggesting these interventions alone are unlikely to address the high frequency of dysthyroidism.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinical.trials.gov (identifier No. NCT01885533).
Retrospective, multi-centre, observational study.
Patients
Adult patients with Graves’ disease treated with radioiodine with 12 months’ follow-up.
Measurements
Euthyroidism was defined as both serum thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) within their reference ranges or, when only one was available, it was within its reference range; hypothyroidism as TSH ≥ 10 mu/L, or subnormal FT4 regardless of TSH; hyperthyroidism as TSH below and FT4 above their reference ranges; dysthyroidism as the sum of hypo- and hyperthyroidism; subclinical hypothyroidism as normal FT4 and TSH between the upper limit of normal and <10 mu/L; subclinical hyperthyroidism as low TSH and normal FT4
Results
Of 812 patients studied post-radioiodine, hypothyroidism occurred in 80.7% and hyperthyroidism in 48.6% of patients. Three principal post-radioiodine management strategies were employed: (a) anti-thyroid drugs alone, (b) levothyroxine alone and (c) combination of the two. Differences among these were small. Adherence to national guidelines regarding monitoring thyroid function in the first 6 months was low (21.4–28.7%). No negative outcomes (new-onset/exacerbation of Graves’ orbitopathy, weight gain, cardiovascular events), were associated with dysthyroidism. There were significant differences in demographics, clinical practice, and thyroid status post-radioiodine between centres.
Conclusions
Dysthyroidism in the 12 months post-radioiodine was common. Differences between post-radioiodine strategies were small, suggesting these interventions alone are unlikely to address the high frequency of dysthyroidism.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinical.trials.gov (identifier No. NCT01885533).
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 664-675 |
Journal | Clinical Endocrinology |
Volume | 97 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 11 Mar 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 11 Mar 2022 |
Keywords
- Graves' disease
- hyperthyroidism
- hypothyroidism
- radioiodine
- thyroid