Table 1.
A comparison of patient demographics and treatment outcome between patients who had antithyroid drugs (ATD), radioactive iodine (RAI), and surgery as the primary treatment for Graves' disease with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP).
| Number (%)/median (range) | P value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (n = 16) | ATD (n = 8) | RAI (n = 4) | Surgery (n = 4) | ||
| Gender (male : female) | 15 : 1 | 8 : 0 | 4 : 0 | 3 : 1 | 0.202 |
| Age (years) | 28 (17–45) | 26.0 (17–33) | 36 (23–42) | 30.5 (26–45) | — |
| Smoker | 10 (62.5%) | 4 (50%) | 2 (50%) | 4 (100%) | 0.202 |
| Drinker | 6 (37.5%) | 2 (25%) | 1 (25%) | 3 (75%) | 0.202 |
| Body weight (kg) | 69.9 (45.0–105) | 70.9 (61–87) | 66.5 (63–105) | 74.5 (45–82) | — |
| Family history of thyrotoxicosis | 4 (25.0%) | 1 (12.5%) | 2 (50.0%) | 1 (25%) | 0.368 |
| TPP as the initial thyrotoxicosis symptom | 13 (81.3%) | 5 (62.5%) | 4 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 0.158 |
| Presence of severe Graves' ophthalmopathy∗ | 2 (12.5%) | 1 (12.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (25%) | 0.565 |
| Antithyroglobulin antibodies (<100 L/titre) | 1088 (63–6400) | 413 (63–1600) | 3276 (100–6400) | 81 (63–100) | — |
| Antithyroid microsomal antibodies (<100 L/titre) | 3325 (100–6400) | 300 (100–400) | 6400 (6400–6400) | 3250 (100–6400) | — |
| Outcome after primary treatment | |||||
| Recurrence of thyrotoxicosis | 10 (62.5%) | 8 (100%) | 2 (50%) | 0 (0%) | 0.003 |
| Recurrence of TPP | 4 (25.0%) | 4 (50%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.069 |
| Hypothyroidism requiring replacement | 12 (75.0%) | 6 (75.0%) | 2 (50%) | 4 (100%) | 0.264 |
*Although all patients had mild eye signs, only two patients had severe eye signs and required ophthalmic treatment for their eye condition.