Disease-Specific as Well as Generic Quality of Life Is Widely Impacted in Autoimmune Hypothyroidism and Improves during the First Six Months of Levothyroxine Therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hypothyroidism is often diagnosed, and subsequently treated, due to health-related quality of life (HRQL) issues. However, HRQL following treatment has never previously been assessed in longitudinal descriptive studies using validated instruments.

Objective

To investigate disease-specific (ThyPRO) and generic (SF-36) HRQL, following levothyroxine therapy in patients with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was set at endocrine outpatient clinics at two Danish university hospitals. Seventy-eight consecutive patients were enrolled and completed HRQL questionnaires before, six weeks, and six months after initiation of levothyroxine therapy. Normative ThyPRO (n = 739) and SF-36 (n = 6,638) data were available for

SUBMITTER: Winther KH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4892657 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature