[Observation of the outcome of 112 cases with Graves' disease treated by short-term antithyroid drug therapy for one year].
One hundred and twelve new cases with Graves' disease were treated by tapazole for 6 months and followed-up for another 12 months in a prospective study. One hundred and eleven cases completed the whole course of study, and only one failed to be followed up. The results of the follow-up for 12 mon showed that the remission rate was 41.4% (46/111) and relapse rate was 58.6% (65/111). The present study indicated that the remission or relapse was related with serum levels of T3 before treatment, shrank goiter and disappearance of goiter bruit during the treatment as well as thyroid suppression rate, but not related to sex, age, period of illness before therapy or severity of the disease. It is suggested that a 6-mon antithyroid drug therapy instead of traditional long term therapy may be suitable for those patients who are with a reduced goiter and disappeared goiter bruit during the antithyroid therapy, and suppressible thyroid up-take by T3 and whose serum levels of T3 before treatment are not very high. So the patients may benefit from the short-term therapy. They are not only able to obtain a prolonged remission but also save time and money.
Wei
S
S
Cheng
Y
Y
Xian
L
L
Liang
Z
Z
Li
J
J
Wang
Q
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000378:metabolism
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D008713:Methimazole