Human recombinant TSH preceding a therapeutic dose of radioiodine for multinodular goiters has no significant effect in the surge of TSH-receptor and TPO antibodies.

Radioiodine (RAI) treatment has increasingly been used mostly in elderly patients with multinodular goiter (MNG) as an alternative for surgery. Recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) has been demonstrated to increase the uptake of RAI and also to promote a more even distribution of radionuclide among the various nodules. We have compared the surge of autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and to the TSH receptor (TRAb) in two groups of patients with MNG. Group RAI (n = 15) received only RAI, and Group RAI+rhTSH (n = 15) received RAI 24 h after 0.45 mg of rhTSH intramuscularly. At baseline, all 30 patients had negative anti-TPO antibodies. After RAI, 16 patients (eight in each group) exhibited a positive anti-TPO test (range, 70-2359 U/mL). In the rhTSH-treated group, anti-TPO values were significantly higher (as compared to basal levels; p < 0.02) after 3 months of RAI treatment. After 12 months, the anti-TPO values decreased to lower but still positive concentrations in nine patients (Group RAI: three patients; Group RAI+rhTSH: five patients). Only one patient had a positive TRAb test at baseline (67.5% inhibition of the TSH binding). After RAI, positive TRAb values were present in 21/30 patients. After 6 months of RAI treatment, there was a significant increase of the TRAb values in Group RAI+rhTSH patients. After 12 months, only four patients had positive TRAb (Group RAI: three patients; Group RAI+rhTSH: one patient). Two patients, one of each group, had an elevation of free T4 levels and suppressed serum TSH values, indicating hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease). Bioassay of TSH receptor (TSHR) indicated absence of a significant elevation of cAMP in the medium before and after RAI treatment in all patients. Moreover, predominantly blocking TSHR autoantibodies were detected in six of the 30 patients (three of each group). Sera from these patients were able to reduce the TSH-stimulated cAMP generation by CHO cells. We conclude that the autoantibodies to the TSHR and to TPO may occur after RAI treatment of patients, either with or without previous stimulation by rhTSH. The antibodies to the TSH comprised a combination of agonist (stimulating) and antagonist (blocking) antibodies, which in most patients did not induce clinical and laboratory evidence of active Graves' disease.

Administration of a single dose of recombinant human thyrotrophin enhances the efficacy of radioiodine treatment of large compressive multinodular goitres.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with very large multinodular goitres, frequently found among elderly people, often suffering from cardiovascular or other disabling disorders, may be considered as unsuitable for surgery. We have evaluated the feasibility of relatively high-dose 131I therapy in such patients. As subclinical or clinical hyperthyroidism is commonly found in these patients, associated with a low radioiodine (RAI) uptake at 24 h, we pretreated a group of patients with a single intramuscular injection of recombinant human TSH (rhTSH 0.45 mg) in order to increase the uptake of the therapeutic dose of RAI. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Forty-one patients with large, long-standing multinodular goitres, were recruited for this study. After a careful and detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation, 34 patients (28 women, six men) were included and randomly assigned to group 1 (control, n = 17, 15 women, two men, age 63.1 +/- 11.2 years) receiving only RAI. Patients in group 2 (n = 17, 13 women, four men, age 63.6 +/- 12.3 years) received the therapeutic dose of RAI, having been pretreated (24 h) with 0.45 mg of rhTSH. Both groups of patients were submitted to a low iodine diet, 4-6 months before RAI treatment, while seven thyrotoxic patients also received methimazole (40 mg/day) until they reached euthyroidism. Ultrasonographic studies were performed for all patients and fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) were performed on one or two nodules before RAI treatment. RAI was given as a single oral dose to the hospitalized isolated patients. Blood samples for thyroid function tests and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) were collected daily during the first week following RAI treatment, and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months thereafter. MEASUREMENTS: Goitre volume was estimated by computed tomography scan. Thyroid function tests (total T3, free T4, TSH and serum Tg) were assayed with commercial kits. Urinary excretion of iodine was assayed by the Sandell-Kolthoff method. RESULTS: After the RAI therapeutic dose, serum thyroid function tests were carried out daily for the first week and then on a monthly basis (1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months). Serum TSH levels rose to a peak level of 45.9 +/- 19.1 mU/l (24 h) in group 2 returning to normal at 72 h. Free T4 serum concentrations rose significantly to 59.35 +/- 21.61 pmol/l at 48 h (in group 2) returning to normal at 7 days. Similarly, serum TT3 also peaked above normal levels only in group 2 (6.12 +/- 1.89 nmol/l) at 24 h. Serum Tg increased in both groups (significantly higher in group 2) and remained elevated during the following 12 months. Both groups had a significant reduction in goitre volume at 12 months (group 2: 57.8%vs. group 1: 39.7%, P < 0.05). Hypothyroidism was detected after RAI treatment, respectively, in 21.4% (group 1) and 64.7% (group 2), of the patients at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the use of hTSH increased the efficacy of the RAI therapeutic dose. This was basically due to an increased uptake of the radionuclide (as a consequence of the higher serum TSH levels) and a more extensive distribution of 131I within the nodules of the multinodular goitre. A more intense radiation effect was reflected in there being a higher output of serum Tg and thyroid hormones (group 2). As a consequence this group had a significantly higher reduction of the goitre volume. Also incidence of hypothyroidism post-RAI was significantly higher in group 2. We concluded that pretreatment with rhTSH in elderly patients with large multinodular goitres increases the uptake of the RAI therapeutic dose, thereby significantly reducing the multinodular goitre volume and relieving the compressive symptoms with relatively few side-effects.