[Treatment of Graves' disease: 300 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To try to select the best treatment among synthetic anti-thyroid agents, surgery and radioiodine in the case of Graves' disease.


METHODS
We present a retrospective study of therapeutic and progressive aspects of 300 cases of Graves' disease.


RESULTS
At the time of the diagnosis, the patients' mean age was of 38.17 years. Female sex predominated (70.7%). Medical treatment was prescribed in 25.7% of cases. Agranulocytosis occurred in one patient who died from septic shock. Surgery was performed in 29.3% of patients and 41% were treated with radioactive iodine. After a mean follow-up of 53.7 months, a progression towards euthyroidism was noted in 60, 22.7 and 21.7% of patients treated respectively with antithyroid drugs, surgery and radioiodine. Hypothyroidism was noted in around 40% of cases, 57.8% of which were treated surgically. Recurrent hyperthyroidism is more frequent with antithyroid drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical treatment increases the risk of relapse. It is therefore preferable to apply radical treatments in order to obtain permanent remission from hyperthyroidism.
Hadj Ali
Insaf
I
Service de médecine interne A, Unité d'endocrinologie, hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
Khiari
Karima
K
Chérif
Lotfi
L
Ben Abdallah
Néjib
N
Ben Maïz
Hédi
H
Hajri
Héla
H
Ferjaoui
Mohamed
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes