title: Predictors of treatment failure, incipient hypothyroidism, and weight gain following radioiodine therapy for Graves' thyrotoxicosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following radioiodine ((131)I) therapy, both late recognition of hypothyroidism and treatment failure may result in adverse outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess indicators of both incipient hypothyroidism and treatment failure following (131)I and determine factors predictive of weight gain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 288 patients receiving (131)I for treatment of Graves' thyrotoxicosis. Primary outcome measures were thyroid status and weight change at 1 yr following (131)I.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment failure rate at 1 yr was 13.5%. Hypothyroidism developed in 80.9%, with 58.5% of patients having levels of free T4 (fT4) <6 pmol/l at diagnosis. Patients receiving thionamides before and after (131)I had significantly higher levels of treatment failure (23.3%) than those with no thionamide exposure (6.3%, p=0.003), but also had more active Graves' disease. Following (131)I, development of a detectable TSH or low-normal fT4 levels was not associated with recurrent thyrotoxicosis. Median weight gain was 5.3 kg, although patients with nadir fT4 levels <6 pmol/l gained an average 2 kg more than those with levels >6 pmol/l (p=0.05). The main predictor of weight gain was fT4 level immediately prior to treatment; those in the lowest tertile gained a median 3.1 kg whilst those in the highest tertile gained 7.4 kg (median difference 4.3 kg; 95% confidence interval: 2.5-6.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marked hypothyroidism following (131)I is common and often occurs early. Simple biochemical parameters may help identify incipient hypothyroidism and potentially limit excess weight gain. Treatment failure is common in patients with severe thyrotoxicosis and in such cases larger doses of (131)I may be warranted.
authors: Edinburgh Centre for Endocrinology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, UK. fraser.gibb@nhs.net.
authors: F W
authors: FW
authors: Gibb
authors: N N
authors: NN
authors: Zammitt
authors: G J
authors: GJ
authors: Beckett
authors: M W J
authors: MW
authors: Strachan
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D017211:Treatment Failure; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013974:Thyroxine
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