Effect of 30 mCi radioiodine on multinodular goiter previously treated with recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone

• Main Authors: G.J. Paz-Filho, C.O. Mesa-Junior, M. Olandoski, L.C. Woellner, C.A. Goedert, C.L. Boguszewski, G.A. Carvalho, H. Graf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 2007-12-01
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
• Subjects: Multinodular goiter; Thyroid; Recombinant TSH; Radioiodine; 131I
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2007001200010
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X

Recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) enhances 131I uptake, permitting a decrease in radiation for the treatment of multinodular goiter (MNG). Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single 0.1-mg dose of rhTSH, followed by 30 mCi 131I, in patients with MNG. Seventeen patients (15 females, 59.0 ± 13.1 years), who had never been submitted to 131I therapy, received a single 0.1-mg injection of rhTSH followed by 30 mCi 131I on the next day. Mean basal thyroid volume measured by computed tomography was 106.1 ± 64.4 mL. 131I 24-h uptake, TSH, free-T4, T3, thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid antibodies, and thyroid volume were evaluated at regular intervals of 12 months. Mean 131I 24-h uptake increased from 18.1 ± 9.7 to 49.6 ± 13.4% (P < 0.001), a median 2.6-fold increase (1.2 to 9.2). Peak hormonal levels were 10.86 ± 5.44 mU/L for TSH (a median 15.5-fold increase), 1.80 ± 0.48 ng/dL for free-T4, 204.61 ± 58.37 ng/dL for T3, and a median of 557.0 ng/mL for thyroglobulin. The adverse effects observed were hyperthyroidism (17.6%), painful thyroiditis (29.4%) and hypothyroidism (52.9%). Thyroid volume was reduced by 34.3 ± 14.3% after 6 months (P < 0.001) and by 46.0 ± 14.6% after 1 year (P < 0.001). Treatment of MNG with a single 0.1-mg dose of rhTSH, followed by a fixed amount of radioactivity of 131I, leads to an efficacious decrease in thyroid volume for the majority of the patients, with a moderate incidence of non-serious and readily treatable adverse effects.