Use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients: a THESIS* survey of Belgian specialists *THESIS: treatment of hypothyroidism in Europe by specialists: an international survey

Abstract Background Hypothyroidism is a topic that continues to provoke debate and controversy with regards to specific indications, type of thyroid hormone substitution and efficacy. We investigated the use of thyroid hormones in clinical practice in Belgium, a country where currently only levothyroxine (LT4) tablet formulations are available. Method Members of the Belgian Endocrine Society were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. Results were compared with those from other THESIS surveys. Results Eighty (50%) of the invited 160 individuals, completed the questionnaire. LT4 was the... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Maria-Cristina Burlacu
Roberto Attanasio
Laszlo Hegedüs
Endre V. Nagy
Enrico Papini
Petros Perros
Kiswendsida Sawadogo
Marie Bex
Bernard Corvilain
Chantal Daumerie
Brigitte Decallonne
Damien Gruson
Bruno Lapauw
Rodrigo Moreno Reyes
Patrick Petrossians
Kris Poppe
Annick Van den Bruel
David Unuane
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2022
Reihe/Periodikum: Thyroid Research, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2022)
Verlag/Hrsg.: BMC
Schlagwörter: Hypothyroidism / Survey / Thyroid hormones / Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology / RC648-665
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-28886721
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://doi.org/10.1186/s13044-022-00121-9

Abstract Background Hypothyroidism is a topic that continues to provoke debate and controversy with regards to specific indications, type of thyroid hormone substitution and efficacy. We investigated the use of thyroid hormones in clinical practice in Belgium, a country where currently only levothyroxine (LT4) tablet formulations are available. Method Members of the Belgian Endocrine Society were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. Results were compared with those from other THESIS surveys. Results Eighty (50%) of the invited 160 individuals, completed the questionnaire. LT4 was the first treatment of choice for all respondents. As secondary choice, some also prescribed liothyronine (LT3) and LT4 + LT3 combinations (2 and 7 respondents, respectively). Besides hypothyroidism, 34 and 50% of respondents used thyroid hormones for infertile euthyroid TPOAb positive women and the treatment of a growing non-toxic goiter, respectively. Had alternative formulations of LT4 to tablets been available (soft gel or liquid L-T4), 2 out of 80 (2.5%) participants would consider them for patients achieving biochemical euthyroidism but remaining symptomatic. This proportion was higher in case of unexplained poor biochemical control of hypothyroidism (13.5%) and in patients with celiac disease or malabsorption or interfering drugs (10%). In symptomatic euthyroid patients, 20% of respondents would try combined LT4 + LT3 treatment. Psychosocial factors were highlighted as the main contributors to persistent symptoms. Conclusions LT4 tablets is the preferred treatment for hypothyroidism in Belgium. A minority of the respondents would try combined LT4 + LT3 in symptomatic but biochemically euthyroid patients. Thyroid hormones are prescribed for euthyroid infertile women with thyroid autoimmunity and patients with non-toxic goiter, a tendency noted in other European countries, despite current evidence of lack of benefit.