The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 112, Issue 5 , Pages 348-354 , 1 April 2002

A 6-month randomized trial of thyroxine treatment in women with mild subclinical hypothyroidism

  • Wing May Kong, MBBChir

      Affiliations

    • Metabolic Medicine (WMK), Division of Investigative Sciences, Hammersmith Campus, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College School of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom
    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Wing May Kong, MBBCh, Department of Endocrinology, Commonwealth Building 6th Floor, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Maleyca H Sheikh, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Obesity Research (MHS, NF), Department of Chemical Pathology (DBF), Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Luton, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Peter J Lumb, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Chemical Pathology (PJL, MC), St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
    • Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre (RPN), Hammersmith Campus, London, United Kingdom
    • Department of Chemical Pathology (PJL, MC), St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
    • Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre (RPN), Hammersmith Campus, London, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Danielle B Freedman, MBBS

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Obesity Research (MHS, NF), Department of Chemical Pathology (DBF), Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Luton, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Martin Crook, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Chemical Pathology (PJL, MC), St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Caroline J Doré, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (CJD), London, United Kingdom
  • ,
  • Nicholas Finer, MBBS

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Obesity Research (MHS, NF), Department of Chemical Pathology (DBF), Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Luton, United Kingdom

Received 13 July 2001 ,Revised 29 October 2001 ,Accepted 13 December 2001.

References 

  1. Franklyn JA, Daykin J, Betteridge J, et al.  Thyroxine replacement therapy and circulating lipid concentrations. Clin Endocrinol. 1993;38:453–459
  2. Danese MD, Ladenson PW, Meinert CL, Powe NR. Clinical review 115 (effect of thyroxine therapy on serum lipoproteins in patients with mild thyroid failure: a quantitative review of the literature). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85:2993–3001
  3. Bogner U, Arntz HR, Peters H, Schleusener H. Subclinical hypothyroidism and hyperlipoproteinaemia (indiscriminate L-thyroxine treatment not justified). Acta Endocrinol. 1993;128:202–206
  4. Nystrom E, Caidahl K, Fager G, et al.  A double-blind cross-over 12-month study of L-thyroxine treatment of women with ‘subclinical’ hypothyroidism. Clin Endocrinol. 1988;63:63–75
  5. Cooper DS, Halpern R, Wood LC, et al.  L-Thyroxine therapy in subclinical hypothyroidism. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 1984;18:18–24
  6. Jaeschke R, Guyatt G, Gerstein H, et al.  Does treatment with L-thyroxine influence health status in middle-aged and older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism?. J Gen Intern Med. 1996;11:744–749
  7. Miura S, Iitaka M, Yoshimura H, et al.  Disturbed lipid metabolism in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (effect of L-thyroxine therapy). Intern Med. 1994;33:413–417
  8. Helfand M, Crapo LM. Screening for thyroid disease. Ann Intern Med. 1990;112:840–849
  9. Helfand M, Redfern CC. Clinical guideline, part 2. Screening for thyroid disease: an update. Ann Intern Med. 1998;129:144–158
  10. Tunbridge WM, Brewis M, French JM, et al.  Natural history of autoimmune thyroiditis. BMJ. 1981;282:258–262
  11. Vanderpump MP, Tunbridge WM, French JM, et al.  The incidence of thyroid disorders in the community (a twenty-year follow-up of the Whickham Survey). Clin Endocrinol. 1995;43:55–68
  12. Herrmann C. International experiences with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (a review of validation data and clinical results). J Psychosom Res. 1997;42:17–41
  13. Huppert FA, Whittington JE. Symptoms of psychological distress predict 7-year mortality. Psychol Med. 1995;25:1073–1086
  14. Billewicz WZ, Chapman RS, Crooks J , et al.  Statistical methods applied to the diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Q J Med. 1969;38:255–266
  15. Zulewski H, Muller B, Exer P, et al.  Estimation of tissue hypothyroidism by a new clinical score (evaluation of patients with various grades of hypothyroidism and controls). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997;82:771–776
  16. Lindberg G, Iso H, Rastam L, et al.  Serum sialic acid and its correlates in community samples from Akita. Int J Epidemiol. 1997;26:58–63
  17. Naoumova RP, Marais AD, Mountney J, et al.  Plasma mevalonic acid: an index of cholesterol synthesis in vivo, and responsiveness to HMG-WA reductase inhibition in familial hypercholesterolemia. Atherosclerosis. 1996;119:203–213
  18. Robertson DA, Ray J, Diamond I, Edwards JG. Personality profile and affective state of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Gut. 1989;30:623–626
  19. Eden S, Sundbeck G, Lindstedt G, et al.  Serum concentrations of thyrotropin and 3,5,3’-triiodothyronine in a representative population of 79-year-old women and men. Compr Gerontol. 1988;2:40–45
  20. Miura S , Iitaka M, Suzuki S, et al.  Decrease in serum levels of thyroid hormone in patients with coronary heart disease. Endocr J. 1996;43:657–663
  21. Monzani F, Di Bello V, Caraccio N, et al.  Effect of levothyroxine on cardiac function and structure in subclinical hypothyroidism (a double blind, placebo-controlled study). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:1110–1115
  22. Vanderpump MP, Tunbridge WM, French JM, et al.  The development of ischemic heart disease in relation to autoimmune thyroid disease in a 20-year follow-up study of an English community. Thyroid. 1996;6:155–160
  23. Tanis BC, Westendorp GJ, Smelt HM. Effect of thyroid substitution on hypercholesterolaemia in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (a reanalysis of intervention studies). Clin Endocrinol. 1996;44:643–649
  24. Bauer DC, Ettinger B, Browner WS. Thyroid function and serum lipids in older women (a population-based study). Am J Med. 1998;104:546–551
  25. Staub JJ, Althaus BU, Engler H, et al.  Spectrum of subclinical and overt hypothyroidism (effect on thyrotropin). Am J Med. 1992;92:631–642
  26. Diekman T, Lansberg PJ, Kastelein JJ, Wiersinga WM . Prevalence and correction of hypothyroidism in a large cohort of patients referred for dyslipidemia. Arch Intern Med. 1995;155:1490–1495
  27. Wolf M, Weigert A, Kreymann G. Body composition and energy expenditure in thyroidectomized patients during short-term hypothyroidism and thyrotropin-suppressive thyroxine therapy. Eur J Endocrinol. 1996;134:168–173
  28. Pears J, Jung RT, Gunn A. Long-term weight changes in treated hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients. Scott Med J. 1990;35:180–182
  29. Hoogwerf BJ, Nuttall FQ. Long-term weight regulation in treated hyperthyroid and hypothyroid subjects. Am J Med. 1984;76:963–970
  30. McLaren EH, Kelly CJ, Pollack MA. Trial of thyroxine treatment for biochemically euthyroid patients has been approved. BMJ. 1997;315:1463
  31. Leese GP, Jung RT, Scott A, et al.  Long term follow-up of treated hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients. Health Bull (Edinb). 1993;51:177–183
  32. Sawin CT, Geller A, Kaplan MM, et al.  Low serum thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone) in older persons without hyperthyroidism. Arch Intern Med. 1991;151:165–168
  33. Sawin CT, Geller A, Wolf PA, et al.  Low serum thyrotropin concentrations as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation in older persons. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:1249–1252
  34. Uzzan B, Campos J, Cucherat M, et al.  Effects on bone mass of long term treatment with thyroid hormones: a meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996;81:4278–4289

PII: S0002-9343(02)01022-7

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 112, Issue 5 , Pages 348-354 , 1 April 2002