title: Selenium supplementation for patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism (the GRASS trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Graves' hyperthyroidism is an autoimmune disease causing hyperfunction of the thyroid gland. The concentration of selenium is high in the thyroid gland and two important groups of enzymes within the thyroid are selenoproteins, that is, they depend on selenium. Selenium may have beneficial effects on autoimmune hypothyroidism and on Graves' orbitopathy, but the effects of selenium on Graves' hyperthyroidism is unknown.We hypothesize that adjuvant selenium may be beneficial in the treatment of Graves' hyperthyroidism. The objective is to investigate if selenium supplementation plus standard treatment with anti-thyroid drugs versus standard treatment with anti-thyroid drugs will lead to a decrease in anti-thyroid drug treatment failure (that is, failure to remain euthyroid, without further treatment, one year after cessation of anti-thyroid drug treatment), faster and longer lasting remission (that is, anti-thyroid drug treatment success), and improved quality of life in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The trial is an investigator-initiated, randomised, blinded, multicentre clinical trial. Inclusion criteria are: age 18 years or older; diagnosis of active Graves' hyperthyroidism within the last two months; and informed consent. Exclusion criteria are major co-morbidity; previous radioactive iodine treatment; ongoing anti-thyroid drug treatment for more than two months; treatment with immunomodulatory drugs; known allergy towards the components in the selenium and placebo pills; pregnancy or breast-feeding; and intake of selenium supplementation above 70 μg per day. We plan to include 492 participants, randomised (1:1) to two tablets of 100 μg selenium once daily for the 24 to 30 months intervention period versus two identical placebo tablets once daily.The primary outcome is the proportion of participants with anti-thyroid drug treatment failure (see above) at the end of the intervention period (24 to 30 months). Secondary outcomes are: thyroid-specific quality of life during the first year after randomisation; level of thyroid stimulating hormone-receptor antibodies at 18 months after randomisation and at the end of the intervention period (24 to 30 months); hyperthyroid symptoms during the first year after randomisation; eye symptoms during the first year after randomisation, and at the end of the intervention period (24 to 30 months); adverse reactions during the intervention period; and serious adverse events during the intervention period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was of great importance to the initiators of this trial, that the results would be directly applicable to daily clinical practice. Therefore, it was designed as a pragmatic trial: the patients follow their usual treatment at their usual hospitals. In order to still collect high quality data on the clinical course and quality of life, an elaborate trial management system was designed to keep track of patient input, need for trial personnel input and action, and to collect data from medical chart systems. Meticulous follow-up on missing responses to the QoL measurements has been incorporated into the system, to minimise missing quality of life data. Monitoring of adverse reactions and events is achieved by thorough instruction of the participants, surveillance of patient-reported outcomes, and integration with national databases regarding hospitalizations. A very long intervention period was necessary, since patients are not considered in remission until one year after stopping anti-thyroid drugs. Usually, patients are treated for 12 to 18 months with anti-thyroid drugs, yielding a total intervention period of 24 to 30 months.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01611896.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark. T.Watt@rh.dk
authors.forename: Torquil
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cramon
authors.forename: Jakob Bue
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bjorner
authors.forename: Steen Joop
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bonnema
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Feldt-Rasmussen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gluud
authors.forename: Jeppe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gram
authors.forename: Jane Lindschou
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hegedüs
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bach-Mortensen
authors.forename: Runa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nolsøe
authors.forename: Birte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pociot
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skoog
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Winkel
authors.forename: Ase Krogh
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003718:Denmark; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012645:Selenomethionine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015002:Yeast, Dried / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D012645:Selenomethionine