title: Outcome of long-term antithyroid treatment of graves' disease in relation to iodine intake.
abstract: Seventy-seven patients with Graves' disease, with an average of 56 years of age were treated with carbimazole in the period 1968-1975. The duration of therapy was on an average, 17.9 months and the follow-up on an average, 28.5 months. Remission was found only in 32% of the patients. Data on the urinary iodine excretion from a total of 127 euthyroid controls and 15 patients with Graves' disease living in the same area were collected during the periods: 1962-1964, 1965-1968, 1971-1973 and 1972-1974. No significant difference was found in the urinary iodine excretion in the period 1962-1973 and no significant difference was found in the urinary iodine excretion between the patients with Graves' disease and the euthyroid controls. Our data demonstrate a high relapse rate following long-term treatment with anti-thyroid drugs in an area with relative low iodine intake.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002231:Carbimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014284:Triiodothyronine; D002231:Carbimazole; D007455:Iodine