Timing for repeated treatment of hyperthyroid disease with radioactive iodine after initial treatment failure.
OBJECTIVE
It has been reported that the effect of radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment is complete in 4 to 6 months. This retrospective study evaluated the appropriate time for repeated treatment of hyperthyroid disease with RAI after initial treatment failure.


METHODS
Outcomes of 128 patients treated with RAI for hyperthyroid disease were reviewed retrospectively at 3 and 6 months.


RESULTS
Eighty patients (group A) were treated successfully with a single dose of RAI. Twenty patients (group B) required a second treatment dose. Twenty-eight patients were lost to follow-up. All patients in group A were clinically improved to various degrees at 3 months and continued to improve at 6 months. All eight patients in group B who showed no improvement at 3 months remained the same at 6 months. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with hyperthyroid disease who are unimproved at 3 months can be retreated with RAI without further delay.
Gayed
I
I
Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Ben Taub General Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA. Isis@.Gayed@uth.tmc.edu
Wendt
J
J
Haynie
T
T
Dhekne
R
R
Moore
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes