Variation in treatment strategies of Swiss general practitioners for subclinical hypothyroidism in older adults.

Baumgartner, Christine; den Elzen, Wendy P J; Blum, Manuel R; Coslovsky, Michael; Streit, Sven; Frey, Peter; Herzig, Lilli; Haller, Dagmar M; Mooijaart, Simon P; Bischoff, Thomas; Rosemann, Thomas; Gussekloo, Jacobijn; Rodondi, Nicolas (2015). Variation in treatment strategies of Swiss general practitioners for subclinical hypothyroidism in older adults. Swiss medical weekly, 145, w14156. EMH Schweizerischer Ärzteverlag 10.4414/smw.2015.14156

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QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY

As the best management of subclinical hypothyroidism is controversial, we aimed to assess variations in treatment strategies depending on different Swiss regions, physician and patient characteristics.

METHODS

We performed a case-based survey among general practitioners (GPs) in different Swiss regions, which consisted of eight hypothetical cases presenting a female patient with subclinical hypothyroidism and nonspecific complaints differing by age, vitality status and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration.

RESULTS

A total of 262 GPs participated in the survey. There was considerable variation in the levothyroxine starting dose chosen by GPs, ranging from 25 µg to 100 µg. Across the Swiss regions, GPs in the Bern region were significantly more inclined to treat, with a higher probability of initiating treatment (60%, p = 0.01) and higher mean starting doses (45 µg, p <0.01) compared with the French-speaking region (44%, 36 µg); the Zurich region had intermediate values (52%, 39 µg). We found no association between treatment rate and other physician characteristics. GPs were more reluctant to initiate treatment in 85-year-old than in 70-year-old women (odds ratio [OR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63-0.94), and more likely to treat women with a TSH of 15 mU/l than those with a TSH of 6mU/l (OR 8.71, 95% CI 6.21-12.20).

CONCLUSIONS

There are strong variations in treatment strategies for elderly patients with subclinical hypothyroidism across different Swiss regions, including use of higher starting doses than the recommended 25 µg in the Swiss guidelines, which recommend a starting dose of 25 µg. These variations likely reflect the current uncertainty about the benefits of treatment, which arise from the current lack of evidence from adequately powered clinical trials.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of General Internal Medicine (DAIM) > Clinic of General Internal Medicine > Centre of Competence for General Internal Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Medical Education > Institute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of General Internal Medicine (DAIM) > Clinic of General Internal Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Department of Clinical Research (DCR)

UniBE Contributor:

Baumgartner, Christine, Blum, Manuel, Coslovsky, Michael, Streit, Sven, Frey, Peter, Rodondi, Nicolas

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services

ISSN:

1424-7860

Publisher:

EMH Schweizerischer Ärzteverlag

Language:

English

Submitter:

Doris Kopp Heim

Date Deposited:

08 Dec 2015 14:19

Last Modified:

20 Feb 2024 14:17

Publisher DOI:

10.4414/smw.2015.14156

PubMed ID:

26218759

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.74016

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/74016

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