Risks of suboptimal and excessive thyroid hormone replacement across ages.

Hypothyroidism Non-communicable disease Replacement Suboptimal treatment

Journal

Journal of endocrinological investigation
ISSN: 1720-8386
Titre abrégé: J Endocrinol Invest
Pays: Italy
ID NLM: 7806594

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
28 Nov 2023
Historique:
received: 30 06 2023
accepted: 13 10 2023
medline: 28 11 2023
pubmed: 28 11 2023
entrez: 28 11 2023
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Hypothyroidism is prevalent at all ages and represents a non-communicable disease with preventable consequences. Narrative review. In children and adolescents, the most devastating consequences of undertreatment with levothyroxine (LT4) are poor growth and development. Delayed treatment in congenital hypothyroidism can lead to permanent brain damage. In young to middle-aged adults, symptoms are often overlooked, and treatment delayed by many years. The resulting consequences are also at this age group compromised brain and physical function but less severe and partly reversible with treatment. The under-treated condition often results in a higher risk of, e.g., increased cardiovascular disease burden, obesity, hypertension, poor physical capacity, and poor quality of life. Excessive replacement is at all adult age groups associated with increased risk of cardiac death, osteoporosis, loss of muscle function, psychological instability and poor quality of life. In young fertile women, the consequences of undertreatment with LT4 are subnormal fertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, compromised fetal growth, and neurocognitive development. On the other hand, excessive LT4 treatment has been related to gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and preterm birth. In the elderly, care must be given to avoid confusing a slightly high age-related serum TSH with requirement for LT4 treatment in a truly hypothyroid patient. Excessive LT4 treatment in patients of high age is associated with an increased mortality. Suboptimal and excessive LT4 replacement of the preventable non-communicable disease hypothyroidism requires more focus from the healthcare system and from the global political systems to prevent the personally devastating and socioeconomically challenging consequences.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Hypothyroidism is prevalent at all ages and represents a non-communicable disease with preventable consequences.
METHOD METHODS
Narrative review.
REVIEW METHODS
In children and adolescents, the most devastating consequences of undertreatment with levothyroxine (LT4) are poor growth and development. Delayed treatment in congenital hypothyroidism can lead to permanent brain damage. In young to middle-aged adults, symptoms are often overlooked, and treatment delayed by many years. The resulting consequences are also at this age group compromised brain and physical function but less severe and partly reversible with treatment. The under-treated condition often results in a higher risk of, e.g., increased cardiovascular disease burden, obesity, hypertension, poor physical capacity, and poor quality of life. Excessive replacement is at all adult age groups associated with increased risk of cardiac death, osteoporosis, loss of muscle function, psychological instability and poor quality of life. In young fertile women, the consequences of undertreatment with LT4 are subnormal fertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, compromised fetal growth, and neurocognitive development. On the other hand, excessive LT4 treatment has been related to gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and preterm birth. In the elderly, care must be given to avoid confusing a slightly high age-related serum TSH with requirement for LT4 treatment in a truly hypothyroid patient. Excessive LT4 treatment in patients of high age is associated with an increased mortality.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Suboptimal and excessive LT4 replacement of the preventable non-communicable disease hypothyroidism requires more focus from the healthcare system and from the global political systems to prevent the personally devastating and socioeconomically challenging consequences.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38015369
doi: 10.1007/s40618-023-02229-7
pii: 10.1007/s40618-023-02229-7
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article Review

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Subventions

Organisme : Novo Nordisk Fonden
ID : ID 0077221

Informations de copyright

© 2023. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

U Feldt-Rasmussen (U)

Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. ufeldt@rh.dk.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Clinical Sciences, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark. ufeldt@rh.dk.
Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism PE 2132, Rigshospitalet, National University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. ufeldt@rh.dk.

G Effraimidis (G)

Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Larissa University Hospital, Larissa, Greece.
Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

S Bliddal (S)

Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

M Klose (M)

Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Classifications MeSH