Prevalence and factors associated with chronic use of levothyroxine: A cohort study.

Janett-Pellegri, Camilla; Wildisen, Lea; Feller, Martin; Del Giovane, Cinzia; Moutzouri, Elisavet; Grolimund, Oliver; Walter, Patrick; Waeber, Gérard; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Vollenweider, Peter; Rodondi, Nicolas (2021). Prevalence and factors associated with chronic use of levothyroxine: A cohort study. PLoS ONE, 16(12), e0261160. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0261160

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IMPORTANCE

Levothyroxine prescriptions are rising worldwide. However, there are few data on factors associated with chronic use.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of chronic levothyroxine use, its rank among other chronic drugs and factors associated with chronic use. To assess the proportion of users outside the therapeutic range of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

DESIGN

Cohort study (CoLaus|PsyCoLaus) with recruitment from 2003 to 2006. Follow-ups occurred 5 and 10 years after baseline.

PARTICIPANTS

A random sample of Lausanne (Switzerland) inhabitants aged 35-75 years.

MAIN OUTCOMES

We evaluated the prevalence of chronic levothyroxine use and we then ranked it among the other most used chronic drugs. The ranking was compared to data from health insurance across the country. We assessed the association between each factor and chronic levothyroxine use in multivariable logistic regression models. The proportion of chronic levothyroxine users outside the usual TSH therapeutic range was assessed.

RESULTS

4,334 participants were included in the analysis (mean±SD age 62.8±10.4 years, 54.9% women). 166 (3.8%) participants were chronic levothyroxine users. Levothyroxine was the second most prescribed chronic drug after aspirin in the cohort (8.2%) and the third most prescribed when using Swiss-wide insurance data. In multivariable analysis, chronic levothyroxine use was associated with increasing age [odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.05 per 1-year increase]; female sex [11.87 (5.24-26.89)]; BMI [1.06 (1.02-1.09) per 1-kg/m2 increase]; number of concomitant drugs [1.22 (1.16-1.29) per 1-drug increase]; and family history of thyroid pathologies [2.18 (1.37-3.48)]. Among chronic levothyroxine users with thyroid hormones assessment (n = 157), 42 (27%) were outside the TSH therapeutic range (17% overtreated and 10% undertreated).

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based study, levothyroxine ranked second among chronic drugs. Age, female sex, BMI, number of drugs and family history of thyroid pathologies were associated with chronic levothyroxine use. More than one in four chronic users were over- or undertreated.

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

UniBE Contributor:

Janett-Pellegri, Camilla Maria, Wildisen, Lea Franziska, Feller, Martin, Del Giovane, Cinzia, Moutzouri Beifuss, Elisavet, Rodondi, Nicolas

Subjects:

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

ISSN:

1932-6203

Publisher:

Public Library of Science

Funders:

[4] Swiss National Science Foundation

Language:

English

Submitter:

Doris Kopp Heim

Date Deposited:

21 Dec 2021 17:45

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:58

Publisher DOI:

10.1371/journal.pone.0261160

PubMed ID:

34928965

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/162926

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/162926

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