Management practices among primary care physicians and thyroid specialists in the care of hypothyroid patients.
Thyroid
; 11(8): 757-64, 2001 Aug.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11525268
ABSTRACT
Prospective studies are not available to address various issues commonly encountered in the management of hypothyroid patients. We have conducted a case-based mail survey of American Thyroid Association (ATA) members and primary care providers (PCP) regarding hypothyroidism management issues. A majority of ATA members and a minority of PCPs used antithyroid antibody testing in the evaluation of hypothyroidism. Approximately 2/3 of all respondents indicated that they would treat patients with mild thyroid failure when antithyroid antibodies are negative; 77% of PCPs and 95% of ATA members recommended treatment when antibodies are positive. For a young patient with mild thyroid failure, 71% of ATA members would initiate a full levothyroxine (LT4) replacement dose of 1.6 microg/kg per day or slightly lower; PCPs were more likely to start with a low dose and titrate upwards. For a young patient with overt hypothyroidism, 42% of PCPs and 51% of ATA respondents recommended an initial full LT4 replacement dose. The majority of all respondents would start with a low LT4 dose and adjust the dose gradually in an elderly patient, regardless of the severity of thyroid hormone deficiency. More than 40% of ATA respondents chose a target thyrotropin (TSH) range of 0.5-2.0 microU/mL for a young patient while 39% favored a goal of 1.0-4.0 microU/mL for an elderly patient. PCPs more often chose a broader TSH goal of 0.5-5.0 microU/mL. In conclusion, the current practice patterns of PCPs and ATA members that were elicited in this survey differ significantly in regard to the evaluation and management of hypothyroidism.
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Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Atención Primaria de Salud
/
Especialización
/
Glándula Tiroides
/
Manejo de Atención al Paciente
/
Hipotiroidismo
/
Medicina
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Thyroid
Asunto de la revista:
ENDOCRINOLOGIA
Año:
2001
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos