Author Interviews, Endocrinology, JCEM, Thyroid Disease / 14.10.2016
Even With Normal TSH, Some Patients Still Feel Hypothyroid
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Antonio C. Bianco, MD, PhD
Rush University Medical Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: The standard of care for patients with hypothyroidism is treatment with levothyroxine. The dosage of levothyroxine is adjusted for each patient with the goal of normalizing blood levels of TSH. About 15% of the patients treated this way exhibit variable degrees of residual symptoms, despite having a normal TSH level. These symptoms include difficulty losing weight, low energy and depression. However, given the subjective nature of these complains and that the blood levels of TSH are normal, many times such symptoms are dismissed by physicians as non-thyroid related.
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