Table 1. Characteristics of Participants at Baseline.
| Characteristic | No. (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Levothyroxine (n = 211) | Placebo (n = 216) | |
| Age, mean (range), y | 73.99 (65.37-91.17) | 75.04 (65.12-93.40) |
| Women | 118 (56) | 121 (56) |
| Previous medical conditions and clinical descriptors | ||
| Atrial fibrillation | 28 (13) | 23 (11) |
| Hypertension | 102 (48) | 98 (46) |
| Diabetes | 34 (16) | 26 (12) |
| Osteoporosis | 26 (13) | 31 (15) |
| Current smoking | 18 (9) | 19 (9) |
| Dementia | 0 | 0 |
| Excess alcohol consumptiona | 2 (1) | 3 (1) |
| Antidepressants medication | 16 (8) | 10 (5) |
| Mini-Mental State Examination score, mean (SD) | 28.52 (1.39) | 28.68 (1.42) |
| Weight | ||
| Mean (range), kg | 77.58 (46-150) | 76.76 (44-121) |
| <50 kg | 4 (2) | 3 (1) |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 27.88 (5.54) | 27.60 (4.37) |
| TSH, mean (SD) [range], mIU/L | 6.57 (2.22) [4.60-17.58] | 6.55 (2.04) [4.60-17.60] |
| Free T4, mean (SD) [range], pmol/L | 13.69 (1.97) [10.00-20.60] | 13.61 (1.86) [9.00-21.90] |
| GDS-15 score, mean (SD) [range] | 1.26 (1.85) [0-9] | 0.96 (1.58) [0-12] |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared); GDS-15, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale Questionnaire (range, 0-15; higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms; minimal clinically important difference, 2 points); TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone; T4, thyroxine.
a
More than 35 units per week for women and more than 50 units per week for men.