Replacement Doses of Levothyroxine

Letters and Corrections1 May 1982Replacement Doses of LevothyroxineDANIEL GLINOER, M.D.DANIEL GLINOER, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-96-5-682_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: We read with interest the article by Rosenbaum and Barzel on levothyroxine replacement doses for primary hypothyroidism (1). Although their data emphasize quite rightly the need for reliable indices for correctly adjusting long-standing hormone replacement doses, they also raise several questions.First, the highest levothyroxine doses required (shown in their Figure 1) were given to two young subjects, 15 and 30 years of age. Were these two patients the ones with congenital hypothyroidism? If this were so, we would recommend caution in the interpretation of basal thyrotropin levels in such patients because follow-up data of patients with...References1. ROSENBAUMBARZEL RU. Levothyroxine replacement dose for primary hypothyroidism decreases with age. Ann Intern Med. 1982;96:53-5. LinkGoogle Scholar2. SCHULTZGLASSMANMACGILLIVRAY RMM. Elevated threshold for thyrotropin suppression in congenital hypothyrodism. Am J Dis Child. 1980;134:19-20. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. GUYDA H. Therapy of congenital hypothyroidism: evaluation of biochemical parameters. In: BURROW GN, DUSSAULT JH, eds. Neonatal Thyroid Screening. New York. Raven Press; 1980;247-61. Google Scholar4. GLINOERFERNANDEZ-DEVILLEERMANS DMA. Use of direct thyroxine-binding globulin measurement in the evaluation of thyroid function. J Endocrinol Invest. 1978;1:329-35. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. GLINOERDELANGEBOURDOUXFERNANDEZ-DEVILLELAGASSEERMANS DFPMRA. Relationship between direct measurement of free T4 and free T4 index calculated from TBG. In: EKINS R, FAGLIA G, PENNISI F, PINCHERA A, eds. Free Thyroid Hormones. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica; 1979:107-20. Google Scholar6. GLINOERVAN KUYKJACOBSFERNANDEZERMANS DMPMA. Age and sex-related changes in thyroid function parameters. In: Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Clinical Investigation. Paris: INSERM; 1981. (Abstract no. 70.) Google Scholar1. ROSENBAUMBARZEL RU. Levothyroxine replacement dose for primary hypothyroidism decreases with age. Ann Intern Med. 1982;96:53-5. LinkGoogle Scholar2. OPPENHEIMER J. Role of plasma proteins in the binding, distribution and metabolism of the thyroid hormones. N Engl J Med. 1968;290:529-33. Google Scholar3. ORDENEPANBARZELSURKS KCUM. Variable thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone after small decreases in plasma thyroid hormone concentrations in patients of advanced age. Clin Res. 1982. In press. Abstract. Google Scholar4. ROSENBAUMBARZEL RU. Clinical hypothyroidism in the elderly—a preventable condition? J Am Geriatr Soc. 1981;29:221-3. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels Belgium PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByLean Body Mass is a Predictor of the Daily Requirement for Thyroid Hormone in Older Men and Women 1 May 1982Volume 96, Issue 5Page: 682-683KeywordsHypothyroidismThyroid-stimulating hormoneThyroxine Issue Published: 1 May 1982 PDF DownloadLoading ...