title: Effects of antithyroid drugs on radioiodine treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of adjunctive antithyroid drugs on the risk of treatment failure, hypothyroidism, and adverse events after radioiodine treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic databases (Cochrane central register of controlled trials, Medline, Embase) searched to August 2006 and contact with experts. Review methods Three reviewers independently assessed trial eligibility and quality. Pooled relative risks for treatment failure and hypothyroidism after radioiodine treatment with and without adjunctive antithyroid drugs were calculated with a random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 14 relevant randomised controlled trials with a total of 1306 participants. Adjunctive antithyroid medication was associated with an increased risk of treatment failure (relative risk 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 1.52; P=0.006) and a reduced risk for hypothyroidism (0.68, 0.53 to 0.87; P=0.006) after radioiodine treatment. We found no difference in summary estimates for the different antithyroid drugs or for whether antithyroid drugs were given before or after radioiodine treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antithyroid drugs potentially increase rates of failure and reduce rates of hypothyroidism if they are given in the week before or after radioiodine treatment, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. m.a.walter@gmx.net
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Briel
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christ-Crain
authors.forename: Steen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bonnema
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Heiner C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller-Brand
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes