ECEESPE2025 Oral Communications Oral Communications 11: Thyroid Part 1 (6 abstracts)
Use of thyroid hormones in euthyroid patients: results of an international survey among thyroid experts
Roberto Negro 1 , Roberto Attanasio 2 , Tomasz Bednarczuk 3 , Juan Carlos Galofré 4 , Endre Nagy 5 , Enrico Papini 6 , Petros Perros 7 , Milos Zarkovic 8 & Laszlo Hegedüs 9
1Ospedale Fazzi, Division of Endocrinology, Lecce, Italy; 2Associazione Medici Endocrinologi, Scientific Committee, Milan, Italy; 3Medical University of Warsaw, Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Warsaw, Poland; 4Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Department of Endocrinology, Pamplona, Spain; 5Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Debrecen, Hungary; 6Regina Apostolorum Hospital, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Albano Laziale (Rome), Italy; 7Newcastle University, Institute of Translational and Clinical Research, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; 8University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia; 9Odense University Hospital, Department of Endocrinology, Odense, Denmark
JOINT1486
Introduction: Evidence consistently points against the use of thyroid hormones (TH) in euthyroid patients. It is unclear to what extent this therapeutic approach is adhered with.
Objectives: Questionnaires documenting the frequency of thyroid specialists’ TH use in euthyroid individuals.
Methods: Data collected 2019-2022 by THESIS (Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists; An International Survey), a large-scale survey of European, Australian and Latin American thyroid experts focused on the use of TH for hypothyroidism and non-hypothyroid indications. Eight questions explored respondent characteristics, and 23 the use of TH. Here we report on the use of TH in euthyroid female infertility with high level of thyroid antibodies, simple goiter growing over time, obesity resistant to lifestyle interventions, depression resistant to anti-depressant medications, severe hypercholesterolemia as complementary treatment, and unexplained fatigue.
Results: Of 18,543 endocrinologists invited, 5,863 valid responses were obtained (938 from 6 countries in Western Europe, 1,679 from 9 countries in Eastern Europe, 2,053 from 6 countries in Southern Europe, 713 from 5 countries in Northern Europe, 312 from 2 countries in Western Asia, 87 from Australia, 81 from Latin America). Between 35-55% stated that TH are never indicated for euthyroid patients. TH were more frequently suggested in female infertility (34-48%), and in growing goiter (10-41%); in other scenarios less frequently [obesity (0-7%), depression (4-17%), hypercholesterolemia (3-8%), unexplained fatigue (3-9%)]. TH were more frequently suggested in female infertility by female endocrinologists younger than 60 years managing a high number of thyroid patients, whereas in growing goiter by non-endocrinologists older than 60 years practicing in areas with present or former insufficient iodine intake (uni-multivariate analysis).
Conclusion: This large scale international survey shows that thyroid experts would use TH in different clinical scenarios in euthyroid individuals, particularly in female infertility and goiter. This finding is concerning and needs to be addressed.
Volume 110
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Endocrine Abstracts
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