 Print page |
 Email page |
Thyroxine therapy has little effect on thyroid nodules in postmenopausal women
The background of the study. Patients
with thyroid nodules may be treated with thyroxine (T4) to reduce
nodule size, but the benefit is debated. This retrospective study
evaluated the effect of T4 in postmenopausal women with thyroid
nodules, because these women might be more sensitive to the deleterious
effects of T4 than younger women.
How the study was done. The study subjects were 81 postmenopausal women with a single palpable thyroid nodule. All the nodules were solid and hypofunctioning, and biopsies were consistent with a colloid nodule. Some of the women had additional small (<0.3 ml) nodules detected by ultrasonography. All the women had normal thyroid function. Forty-three women were treated with T4 (1.3 to 1.8 µg/kg daily); the remaining 38 women were not treated. Thyroid function was assessed and thyroid volume was measured by ultrasonography yearly.
The results of the study. All the women were followed for at least one year, and 29 and 26 women in the T4 and untreated groups, respectively, were followed for five years. The base-line characteristics of the women in both groups were similar. Thereafter, serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations were lower in the T4-therapy group, but serum free T4 concentrations were similar in both groups at all times.
There were no changes in median thyroid volume in either group. At one year, nodule volume decreased by >50 percent in six women (14 percent) in the T4-therapy group and in one (3 percent) in the untreated group. Subsequently, nodule volume decreased in one more woman (2 percent) treated with T4.
The conclusions of the study. In postmenopausal women with a thyroid nodule, T4 therapy rarely results in a decrease in nodule size.
The original article.Costante G, Crocetti U, Schifino E, Ludovico O, Capula C, Nicotera M, Arturi F, Filetti S. Slow growth of benign thyroid nodules after menopause: no need for long-term thyroxine suppressive therapy in post-menopausal women. J Endocrinol Invest 2004;27:31-6.
Next Article: Low and moderate doses
of radioiodine are equally effective for ablation of thyroid
remnants in patients with thyroid carcinoma
|
||
| Thyroid Digest Index | | | July 2004 Thyroid Digest |
