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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.
Hypothyroidism
This information is provided directly by researchers and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information.
Levothyroxine is the third most commonly prescribed medication in the UK and at 4 pence per 100-μg tablet is amongst the cheapest. The general assumption has been that when patients are prescribed levothyroxine for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism (thyroid underactivity), the treatment is life-long. However, the commonest cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s (autoimmune) thyroiditis, which may result in a variable degree of mild hypothyroidism or even have a relapsing/remitting course in some patients. In addition, levels in the blood of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) may rise for a short period following any ‘non-thyroidal illness’ and this physiological phenomenon may easily be mistaken for mild hypothyroidism in someone who doesn’t feel well following an intercurrent infection or other health issues. Therefore, guidelines suggest observing such patients for 3 to 6 months to see if the elevation of TSH is persistent and then considering a trial of levothyroxine treatment in younger patients with compatible hypothyroid symptoms. Unfortunately, not all short-duration, variable or mild hypothyroidism is recognised as such, leading to overtreatment.
Recent evidence both from the US and the UK suggests that many patients with only mildly abnormal or even normal thyroid blood tests are being prescribed levothyroxine in primary care settings. A complementary meta-analysis of 11 studies showed that if levothyroxine therapy is withdrawn, 30-50% of patients remain euthyroid (with normal TSH levels). Thus, overprescribing levothyroxine is a potentially detrimental situation, not only because of wasted resources in medication prescriptions and monitoring blood tests but also because out-of-range thyroid tests are found in around 50% of people taking levothyroxine, which are associated with several undesirable health outcomes, including fractures, heart problems and increased mortality. Because levothyroxine is taken by around 3 million people in the UK, overprescribing could be adversely affecting the health of around half a million people. This study aims to address how this important public health issue can be best addressed.
Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.
The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:
You can take part if:
You may not be able to take part if:
Does not meet the inclusion criteria
Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.
Prof
Simon
Pearce
+44 (0)1912418674
simon.pearce@ncl.ac.uk
The study is sponsored by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Newcastle University.
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Or CPMS 52796
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