Age-related therapeutic response to antithyroid drug in patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether there is an age-related difference in the therapeutic response to antithyroid drugs in hyperthyroid Graves' disease.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of treatment duration and recurrence rate.

PATIENTS: Two hundred and twenty-two patients who have triiodothyronine-suppressible thyroids within 4 years of methimazole treatment.

MEASUREMENTS: Serum thyroid hormone levels, serum thyrotropin receptor antibody titer, and thyroidal radioiodine uptake.

MAIN

RESULTS

A longer period of methimazole treatment was needed to normalize serum thyroid hormone levels and to restore normal thyroidal triiodothyronine suppressibility in young than in aged patients. There was an average 10-month lag between normalization of thyrotropin receptor antibody titer and restoration of thyroidal triiodothyronine suppressibility in both young and aged patients. Recurrence after discontinuation of methimazole was more frequent in young than in aged patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Aged patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease show a more favorable response to antithyroid drugs than young counterparts.