Effect of short term thyroxin withdrawal on health related quality of life in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients

Abstract

Background: We aimed to study the HRQL in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) during hypothyroidism due to thyroxin withdrawal, which is induced routinely for iodine-131 (I-131) whole body scan and ablative treatment. Methods: Between September 2011 and March 2012, eligible patients with DTC who were referred to our institution for diagnostic or therapeutic radioiodine administration under hypothyroid conditions due to thyroid hormone withdrawal were asked to complete the psychological instruments rating their HRQL and psychological status. HRQL was studied using the Short Form (SF-36), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), the total mood disturbance (TMD) score, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).One hundred and forty three hypothyroid patients with DTC (F=101, M=42, age=58.7 yrs) who were also on low-iodine diet were included in this study. Hypothyroidism was induced by withdrawal of thyroxin replacement in all patients. Results: The results of SF-36 showed that the HRQL was significantly impaired in hypothyroid patients during withdrawal of thyroxin (physical component scale: 44.3 ± 9.5, mental component scale: 40.8 ± 10.2, p ? 0.001). Depression scores were in the normal or non-clinically relevant range: 4.1 ± 3.8 on the HADS-Depression and 8.3 ± 6.6 on the Beck Depression Index. However, the mean score of 28.8 ± 25.2 on the POMS TMD was within normal range. Conclusion: HRQL is impaired in hypothyroid patients with DTC during thyroxine withdrawal before I-131 whole body scan and radioiodine therapy. © 2015 Elboga U, et al.