Trusted Resources: Evidence & Education
Scientific literature and patient education texts
Gender Influences the Clinical Presentation and Long-Term Outcome of Graves’ Disease
source: Endocrine Practice
year: 2016
authors: Magri F, Zerbini F, Gaiti M, Capelli V, Ragni A, Rotondi M, Chiovato L
summary/abstract:Objective:
The outcome of antithyroid drug (ATD) treatment for Graves disease (GD) is difficult to predict. In this study, we investigated whether male gender, besides other factors usually associated with a poor outcome of ATD treatment, may affect disease presentation and predict the response to medical treatment in subjects with GD.
Methods:
We studied 294 patients with a first diagnosis of GD. In all patients, ATD treatment was started. Clinical features, thyroid volume, and eye involvement were recorded at baseline. Serum levels of free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAb) were measured at baseline and during the follow-up. Treatment outcome (FT4, FT3, and TSH serum levels and further treatments for GD after ATD withdrawal) was evaluated.
Results:
When compared to women, men showed a significantly larger thyroid volume and a higher family positivity for autoimmune diseases. During ATD, the mean serum levels of TSH, FT4, FT3, and TRAb did not differ between groups. Within 1 year after ATD discontinuation, relapse of hyperthyroidism was significantly more frequent in men than in women. Within the 5-year follow-up period, the prevalence of men suffering a late relapse was higher compared with that of women. The outcome at the end of the 5-year follow-up period was significantly associated with gender and TRAb levels at disease onset.
Conclusion:
Male patients with GD have a poorer prognosis when submitted to medical treatment with ATDs. A larger goiter at presentation and a stronger genetic autoimmune background might explain this gender difference in patients with GD.
DOI: 10.4158/EP161350.OR
read more
Related Content
-
Comparative Effectiveness of Treatment Choices for Graves’ Hyperthyroidism: A Historical Cohort StudyBackground: The optimum therapy for Gra...
-
Most Graves’ Disease Treated With Antithyroid DrugsAdults with Graves’ disease are more l...
-
Effect of Long-Term Continuous Methimazole Treatment of Hyperthyroidism: Comparison With RadioiodineObjective: To investigate the long-term...
-
Most Patients With Graves’ Disease Treated With Antithyroid Drugs Eventually Require Additional TherapiesGraves’ disease is the most common cau...
-
Remission After Potassium Iodide Therapy in Patients With Graves’ Hyperthyroidism Exhibiting Thionamide-Associ...Context: Thionamides have various side ...
-
GDATF Community Conversations: Long-Term Use of Anti-Thyroid Drugshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az5B8FU7...
-
Which Factors Predict the Outcome of Radioactive Iodine Therapy of Graves’ Disease?Graves’ disease is the most common cau...
To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
myBinder