Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34860178›Full record

ArticleEndocrine connections2022

Levothyroxine use and the risk of colorectal cancer: a large population-based case-control study.

Josephina G Kuiper, Aline C Fenneman, Anne H van der Spek, Elena Rampanelli, Max Nieuwdorp, Myrthe P P van Herk-Sukel, Valery E P P Lemmens, Ernst J Kuipers, Ron M C Herings, Eric Fliers

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Endocrine connections, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Josephina G KuiperPHARMO Institute for Drug Outcomes Research, AE Utrecht, Netherlands.
Aline C FennemanDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences (ACS), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-4872-9493
Anne H van der SpekDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism (AGEM), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Elena RampanelliDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences (ACS), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Max NieuwdorpDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences (ACS), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Myrthe P P van Herk-SukelDepartment of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Valery E P P LemmensDepartment of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Ernst J KuipersDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Ron M C HeringsPHARMO Institute for Drug Outcomes Research, AE Utrecht, Netherlands.
Eric FliersDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism (AGEM), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Amsterdam University Medical Centers · NLErasmus MC · NLPharmo Institute · NLUniversity Medical Center Utrecht · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Whether an association between oral levothyroxine use, leading to supraphysiological exposure of the colon to thyroid hormones, and risk of colorectal cancer exists in humans is unclear. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of levothyroxine is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in a linked cohort of pharmacy and cancer data. Design: Population-based matched case-control study. Methods: A total of 28,121 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1998 and 2014 were matched to 106,086 controls. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between levothyroxine use and occurrence of colorectal cancer, adjusted for potential confounders. Results were stratified by gender, age, tumour subtype, and staging, as well as treatment duration and dosing. Results: A total of 1066 colorectal cancer patients (4%) and 4024 (4%) controls had used levothyroxine at any point before index date (adjusted odds ratio 0.95 (0.88-1.01)). Long-term use of levothyroxine was seen in 323 (30%) colorectal cancer patients and 1111 (28%) controls (adjusted odds ratio 1.00 (0.88-1.13)). Stratification by tumour subsite showed a borderline significant risk reduction of rectal cancer, while this was not seen for proximal colon cancer or distal colon cancer. There was no relationship with treatment duration or with levothyroxine dose. Conclusions: In this study, no reduced risk of colorectal cancer was seen in levothyroxine users. When stratifying by tumour subsite, a borderline significant risk reduction of rectal cancer was found and may warrant further research.

Indexed as

case-controlcolorectal cancerlevothyroxineNetherlands

Identifiers

PMID34860178
PMCPMC8789018
OpenAlexW3215048092

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.