Dilek Gogas Yavuz, Dilek Yazıcı, Lezzan Keskin, Ayşegül Atmaca, Seda Sancak, Fulden Saraç, İbrahim Şahin, Oğuz Dikbaş, Zeliha Hekimsoy, Serap Yalın, Melin Uygur, Murat Yılmaz, Sibel Yirmibeşcik, Özlem Asmaz
Abstract
Although levothyroxine (LT4) replacement therapy for hypothyroidism has been established as safe, inexpensive and effective, many studies from different countries reported out-of-reference range thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values for the hypothyroid patients under LT4 treatment. The aim of this study was to determine TSH levels of primary hypothyroid patients under LT4 treatment and to assess self-reported compliance with daily LT4 intake in tertiary care centers in Turkey.
In this cross-sectional, observational study, adult patients with primary hypothyroidism, receiving LT4 treatment for at least 6 months, were included. The patients were from 12 tertiary care centers in 9 cities of Turkey. TSH and free T4 levels were recorded from patient files and self-reported compliance with daily LT4 intake was assessed by interviewing the subjects at the last visit.
A total of 1,755 subjects (46 ± 13 years; F/M: 89.9/10.1%) with primary hypothyroidism were enrolled. Of the hypothyroid subjects, 44.8% had out-of-reference range serum TSH levels. TSH values were over the reference range (TSH > 4 mIU/L) in 26.2% and were under the reference range (TSH < 0.5 mIU/L) in 18.6% of the patients. Total duration of LT4 treatment was 5.9 ± 4.7 years and mean dose was 1.2 ± 0.6 μg/kg/day. Non-compliant patients (31.1%) had higher TSH levels (6.9 ± 16 vs 3.8 ± 0.9 mIU/L, P = 0.01) compared to compliant patients.
The results of this study revealed that nearly half of the hypothyroid patients had out-of-reference range serum TSH values, despite under LT4 treatment. Compliance with LT4 treatment seems to be one of the major determinants to reach the target TSH levels in hypothyroid patients.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
3
13%
Nursing and Health Professions
3
13%
Arts and Humanities
2
8%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
2
8%
Other
2
8%
Unknown
7
29%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 8. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 01 December 2018.
All research outputs
#4,738,774
of 26,161,782 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in endocrinology
#1,438
of 13,370 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#73,657
of 328,012 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in endocrinology
#16
of 104 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 26,161,782 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 81st percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 13,370 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.2. This one has done well, scoring higher than 89% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 104 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 84% of its contemporaries.
