Use of Thyroid Hormones in Hypothyroid and Euthyroid Patients : A 2020 THESIS Questionnaire Survey of Members of the Swedish Endocrine Society
(2021) In Frontiers in Endocrinology 12.- Abstract
Background: The standard treatment of hypothyroidism is levothyroxine (LT-4). However, there are several controversies regarding treatment of hypothyroid patients. Aim: To investigate the Swedish endocrinologists’ use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid individuals. Methods: Physician members of the Swedish Endocrine Society (SEF) were invited by e-mail to participate in an online survey investigating this topic. Results: Out of the eligible 411 members, 116 (28.2%) responded. The majority (98.9%) stated that L-T4 is the treatment of choice. However, around 50% also prescribed liothyronine (L-T3) or a combination of L-T4+L-T3 in their practice. Combination therapy was mostly (78.5%) used in patients with persistent... (More)
Background: The standard treatment of hypothyroidism is levothyroxine (LT-4). However, there are several controversies regarding treatment of hypothyroid patients. Aim: To investigate the Swedish endocrinologists’ use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid individuals. Methods: Physician members of the Swedish Endocrine Society (SEF) were invited by e-mail to participate in an online survey investigating this topic. Results: Out of the eligible 411 members, 116 (28.2%) responded. The majority (98.9%) stated that L-T4 is the treatment of choice. However, around 50% also prescribed liothyronine (L-T3) or a combination of L-T4+L-T3 in their practice. Combination therapy was mostly (78.5%) used in patients with persistent hypothyroid symptoms despite biochemical euthyroidism on L-T4 treatment. Most respondents prescribed L-T4 tablets and did not expect any major changes with alternative formulations such as soft-gel capsules or liquid formulations in situations influencing the bioavailability of L-T4. In euthyroid patients, 49.5% replied that treatment with thyroid hormones was never indicated, while 47.3% would consider L-T4 for euthyroid infertile women with high thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody levels. Conclusion: The treatment of choice for hypothyroidism in Sweden is L-T4 tablets. Combination therapy with L-T4+L-T3 tablets was considered for patients with persistent symptoms despite biochemical euthyroidism. Soft-gel capsules and liquid solutions of L-T4 were infrequently prescribed. Swedish endocrinologists’ deviation from endocrine society guidelines merits further study.
(Less)
- author
- Planck, Tereza LU ; Lantz, Mikael LU ; Perros, Petros ; Papini, Enrico ; Attanasio, Roberto ; Nagy, Endre V. and Hegedüs, Laszlo
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-12-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- desiccated thyroid extract (DTE), euthyroidism, hypothyroidism, levothyroxine, liothyronine, survey, Swedish Endocrine Society
- in
- Frontiers in Endocrinology
- volume
- 12
- article number
- 795111
- publisher
- Frontiers Media S. A.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:34938274
- scopus:85121987063
- ISSN
- 1664-2392
- DOI
- 10.3389/fendo.2021.795111
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0ce9c240-d133-4ab9-b22b-d0981d0b0790
- date added to LUP
- 2022-02-04 13:18:28
- date last changed
- 2024-09-13 00:07:57
@article{0ce9c240-d133-4ab9-b22b-d0981d0b0790, abstract = {{<p>Background: The standard treatment of hypothyroidism is levothyroxine (LT-4). However, there are several controversies regarding treatment of hypothyroid patients. Aim: To investigate the Swedish endocrinologists’ use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid individuals. Methods: Physician members of the Swedish Endocrine Society (SEF) were invited by e-mail to participate in an online survey investigating this topic. Results: Out of the eligible 411 members, 116 (28.2%) responded. The majority (98.9%) stated that L-T4 is the treatment of choice. However, around 50% also prescribed liothyronine (L-T3) or a combination of L-T4+L-T3 in their practice. Combination therapy was mostly (78.5%) used in patients with persistent hypothyroid symptoms despite biochemical euthyroidism on L-T4 treatment. Most respondents prescribed L-T4 tablets and did not expect any major changes with alternative formulations such as soft-gel capsules or liquid formulations in situations influencing the bioavailability of L-T4. In euthyroid patients, 49.5% replied that treatment with thyroid hormones was never indicated, while 47.3% would consider L-T4 for euthyroid infertile women with high thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody levels. Conclusion: The treatment of choice for hypothyroidism in Sweden is L-T4 tablets. Combination therapy with L-T4+L-T3 tablets was considered for patients with persistent symptoms despite biochemical euthyroidism. Soft-gel capsules and liquid solutions of L-T4 were infrequently prescribed. Swedish endocrinologists’ deviation from endocrine society guidelines merits further study.</p>}}, author = {{Planck, Tereza and Lantz, Mikael and Perros, Petros and Papini, Enrico and Attanasio, Roberto and Nagy, Endre V. and Hegedüs, Laszlo}}, issn = {{1664-2392}}, keywords = {{desiccated thyroid extract (DTE); euthyroidism; hypothyroidism; levothyroxine; liothyronine; survey; Swedish Endocrine Society}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{12}}, publisher = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}}, series = {{Frontiers in Endocrinology}}, title = {{Use of Thyroid Hormones in Hypothyroid and Euthyroid Patients : A 2020 THESIS Questionnaire Survey of Members of the Swedish Endocrine Society}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.795111}}, doi = {{10.3389/fendo.2021.795111}}, volume = {{12}}, year = {{2021}}, }