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Hannemann A, Friedrich N, Haring R, et al. Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). BMC Res Notes. 2010;3:227doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-3-227.
Hannemann, A., Friedrich, N., Haring, R., Krebs, A., Völzke, H., Alte, D., Nauck, M., Kohlmann, T., Schober, H. C., Hoffmann, W., & Wallaschofski, H. (2010). Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). BMC research notes, 3227. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-3-227
Hannemann, Anke, et al. "Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)." BMC research notes vol. 3 (2010): 227. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-3-227
Hannemann A, Friedrich N, Haring R, Krebs A, Völzke H, Alte D, Nauck M, Kohlmann T, Schober HC, Hoffmann W, Wallaschofski H. Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). BMC Res Notes. 2010 Aug 16;3:227. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-3-227. PMID: 20712884; PMCID: PMC2933586.
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BMC Res Notes. 2010 Aug 16;3:227. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-3-227.

Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).

BMC research notes

Anke Hannemann, Nele Friedrich, Robin Haring, Alexander Krebs, Henry Völzke, Dietrich Alte, Matthias Nauck, Thomas Kohlmann, Hans-Christof Schober, Wolfgang Hoffmann, Henri Wallaschofski

Affiliations

  1. Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, 17475 Greifswald, Germany. [email protected].

PMID: 20712884 PMCID: PMC2933586 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-3-227

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies from iodine-sufficient areas have shown that a high proportion of patients taking medication for thyroid diseases have thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels outside the reference range. Next to patient compliance, inadequate dosing adjustment resulting in under- and over-treatment of thyroid disease is a major cause of poor therapy outcomes. Using thyroid function tests, we aim to measure the proportions of subjects, who are under- or over-treated with thyroid medication in a previously iodine-deficient area.

FINDINGS: Data from 266 subjects participating in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were analysed. All subjects were taking thyroid medication. Serum TSH levels were measured using immunochemiluminescent procedures. TSH levels of < 0.27 or > 2.15 mIU/L in subjects younger than 50 years and < 0.19 or > 2.09 mIU/L in subjects 50 years and older, were defined as decreased or elevated, according to the established reference range for the specific study area. Our analysis revealed that 56 of 190 (29.5%) subjects treated with thyroxine had TSH levels outside the reference range (10.0% elevated, 19.5% decreased). Of the 31 subjects taking antithyroid drugs, 12 (38.7%) had TSH levels outside the reference range (9.7% elevated, 29.0% decreased). These proportions were lower in the 45 subjects receiving iodine supplementation (2.2% elevated, 8.9% decreased). Among the 3,974 SHIP participants not taking thyroid medication, TSH levels outside the reference range (2.8% elevated, 5.9% decreased) were less frequent.

CONCLUSION: In concordance with previous studies in iodine-sufficient areas, our results indicate that a considerable number of patients taking thyroid medication are either under- or over-treated. Improved monitoring of these patients' TSH levels, compared to the local reference range, is recommended.

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