ArticleThyroid research2022
Use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients: a THESIS* survey of Belgian specialists *THESIS: treatment of hypothyroidism in Europe by specialists: an international survey.
Article in Thyroid research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Indications of over- and undertreatment of hypothyroidism in primary care: a scoping review and evidence mapping.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Article
- Canadian Endocrinologists' Perspectives on Treatment With Thyroid Hormone Substitutions in Euthyroid and Hypothyroid Patients: A 2023 THESIS Questionnaire Survey.Clinical endocrinology · 2025Article
- A questionnaire survey of thyroid specialists in Japan on the use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients.Endocrine journal · 2025Article
- Thyroid hormone use in clinical practice by Israeli endocrinologists: a THESIS* questionnaire survey : *Treatment of hypothyroidism in Europe by specialists: an international survey.Thyroid research · 2025Article
- Treatment of Obesity with Thyroid hormones in Europe. Data from the THESIS* Collaboration.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2025Article
- The use of thyroid hormones in the treatment of euthyroid patients with treatment-resistant depression. Data from a survey of 5695 European national endocrine professional organization members.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Medically not yet explained symptoms in hypothyroidism.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2024Review
- Effects and Action Mode of Oleic Acid and Azone on Release and Penetration Process of Levothyroxine Sodium Patches.AAPS PharmSciTech · 2024Article
- Demographic, Healthcare Access, and Dietary Factors Associated With Thyroid Hormone Treatments for Hypothyroidism.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2023Article
- Use of Thyroid Hormones in Hypothyroid and Euthyroid Patients: A THESIS questionnaire survey of members of the Irish Endocrine Society.Irish journal of medical science · 2023Article
- Levothyroxine: Conventional and Novel Drug Delivery Formulations.Endocrine reviews · 2023Review
- Use of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients: A THESIS questionnaire survey of UK endocrinologists.Clinical endocrinology · 2023Article
- Characteristics of specialists treating hypothyroid patients: the "THESIS" collaborative.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2023Article
- Enhanced Well-Being Associated with Thyrotoxicosis: A Neglected Effect of Thyroid Hormones?International journal of endocrinology and metabolism · 2022Review
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Authors and funding
18 authors at 14 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHypothyroidism is a topic that continues to provoke debate and controversy with regards to specific indications, type of thyroid hormone substitution and efficacy. We investigated the use of thyroid hormones in clinical practice in Belgium, a country where currently only levothyroxine (LT4) tablet formulations are available.
methodMembers of the Belgian Endocrine Society were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. Results were compared with those from other THESIS surveys.
resultsEighty (50%) of the invited 160 individuals, completed the questionnaire. LT4 was the first treatment of choice for all respondents. As secondary choice, some also prescribed liothyronine (LT3) and LT4 + LT3 combinations (2 and 7 respondents, respectively). Besides hypothyroidism, 34 and 50% of respondents used thyroid hormones for infertile euthyroid TPOAb positive women and the treatment of a growing non-toxic goiter, respectively. Had alternative formulations of LT4 to tablets been available (soft gel or liquid L-T4), 2 out of 80 (2.5%) participants would consider them for patients achieving biochemical euthyroidism but remaining symptomatic. This proportion was higher in case of unexplained poor biochemical control of hypothyroidism (13.5%) and in patients with celiac disease or malabsorption or interfering drugs (10%). In symptomatic euthyroid patients, 20% of respondents would try combined LT4 + LT3 treatment. Psychosocial factors were highlighted as the main contributors to persistent symptoms.
conclusionsLT4 tablets is the preferred treatment for hypothyroidism in Belgium. A minority of the respondents would try combined LT4 + LT3 in symptomatic but biochemically euthyroid patients. Thyroid hormones are prescribed for euthyroid infertile women with thyroid autoimmunity and patients with non-toxic goiter, a tendency noted in other European countries, despite current evidence of lack of benefit.
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