Table 2.
QoL measured by the ThyPRO-39 scores (0-100; higher scores represent worse QoL) in hypothyroid patients treated with L-T4/L-T3 combination therapy
| Baseline (n = 23) |
3-month follow-up (n = 22) |
12-month follow-up (n = 21) |
General population [14] (n = 754) | Hypothyroid patients [4] |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| median (quartile) | mean (SD) | median (quartile) | mean (SD) | median (quartile) | mean (SD) | Newly diagnosed (n = 78) | after 6 months (n = 63) | ||
| Median age, years | 47 (40, 53) | – | – | 50 (38, 64) | 47 [18–91] | – | |||
| Female, n (%) | 21 (91.3) | – | – | 602 (81) | 70 (90) | – | |||
| QoL | |||||||||
| ThyPRO-39 composite score | 54 (34, 74) | 56 (20) | 15 (11, 28)a | 20 (16) | 20 (14, 26)b | 22 (12) | na | na | na |
| ThyPRO-39 subscales | |||||||||
| Tiredness | 83 (67, 92) | 75 (20) | 25 (17, 42)a | 30 (19) | 33 (25, 50)b | 40 (21) | 35 (21)c, d | 58 (28)c, d | 43 (27)c |
| Cognitive complaints | 58 (33, 83) | 59 (31) | 21 (8, 25)a | 21 (16) | 17 (0, 25)b | 18 (17) | 14 (17)c, d | 27 (26)c, d | 22 (23)c |
| Anxiety | 50 (l7, 67) | 44 (31) | 17 (0, 25)a | 21 (25) | 17 (4, 25)b | 19 (22) | 13 (16)c, d | 21 (20)c | 11 (17)c, d |
| Depressivity | 44 (25, 75) | 48 (29) | 13 (6, 27)a | 18 (16) | 19 (6, 35)b | 24 (21) | 21 Q8)c, d | 32 (23)c, d | 25 (19)c |
| Emotional susceptibility | 60 (40, 80) | 63 (21) | 20 (9, 38)a | 25 (18) | 25 (18, 35)b | 28 (14) | 23 (19)c, d | 40 (25)c, d | 28 (22)c |
| Impaired social life* 1 | 33 (l7, 50) | 35 (23) | 0 (0, 25)a | 12 (17) | 8 (0, 8)b | 7 (11) | – | 13 Q9)c, d | 8 (15)c |
| Impaired daily life1 | 63 (44, 75) | 56 (26) | 6 (0, 15)a | 14 (18) | 13 (6, 25)b | 17 (14) | – | 22 (27)c, d | 12 (20)c, d |
| Overall QoL impact1 | 75 (50, 100) | 77 (24) | 25 (19, 31)a | 26 (20) | 25 (25, 25)b | 29 (24) | – | 37 (36)c, d | 19 (26)c, d |
| Hypothyroid physical | 2 | ||||||||
| symptoms2 | 56 (44, 75) | 59 (19) | 22 (13, 33)a | 26 (15) | 25 (19, 47)b | 35 (20) | 14 (16)c, d | 27 (24)c, d | 3 (21)c, d |
Values are presented as the median (quartiles), median [range], n (%), and mean (SD). For comparison and interpretability, previously published reference data are provided on the general population [14], as well as newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients in the untreated state and 6 months after initiation of monotherapy with L-T4 [4]. Our new data, however, are not corrected for age and gender.
Baseline versus 3 months, p < 0.05
Baseline versus 12 months, p < 0.05.
Compared to baseline, p < 0.05.
Compared to 12 months, p < 0.05. na, not available, since these data were not available in the previous studies.
The participants were asked how much hypothyroidism affected the particular aspect of their lives.
Including only physical symptoms, i.e. cold intolerance, swollen hands or feet, dry skin and itchy skin.