Discontinuation of Levothyroxine Therapy for Patients With Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Summary

The investigators propose the following hypothesis: discontinuation of levothyroxine (LT4) for veterans with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) will be feasible, acceptable, and safe and will not negatively affect their Quality of Life (QoL). The investigators aim to evaluate the feasibility of LT4 discontinuation among veterans with SCH and determine the changes in QoL measures, lipids, and adverse events.

Timeline

Start

2021-03-24

Primary completion

2022-10-07

Completion

2022-12-31

Publications

• Background Brito JP, Ross JS, El Kawkgi OM, Maraka S, Deng Y, Shah ND, Lipska KJ. Levothyroxine Use in the United States, 2008-2018. JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Oct 1;181(10):1402-1405. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.2686.
• Background Feller M, Snel M, Moutzouri E, Bauer DC, de Montmollin M, Aujesky D, Ford I, Gussekloo J, Kearney PM, Mooijaart S, Quinn T, Stott D, Westendorp R, Rodondi N, Dekkers OM. Association of Thyroid Hormone Therapy With Quality of Life and Thyroid-Related Symptoms in Patients With Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2018 Oct 2;320(13):1349-1359. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.13770.
• Background Stott DJ, Rodondi N, Kearney PM, Ford I, Westendorp RGJ, Mooijaart SP, Sattar N, Aubert CE, Aujesky D, Bauer DC, Baumgartner C, Blum MR, Browne JP, Byrne S, Collet TH, Dekkers OM, den Elzen WPJ, Du Puy RS, Ellis G, Feller M, Floriani C, Hendry K, Hurley C, Jukema JW, Kean S, Kelly M, Krebs D, Langhorne P, McCarthy G, McCarthy V, McConnachie A, McDade M, Messow M, O'Flynn A, O'Riordan D, Poortvliet RKE, Quinn TJ, Russell A, Sinnott C, Smit JWA, Van Dorland HA, Walsh KA, Walsh EK, Watt T, Wilson R, Gussekloo J; TRUST Study Group. Thyroid Hormone Therapy for Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jun 29;376(26):2534-2544. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1603825. Epub 2017 Apr 3.
• Background Bekkering GE, Agoritsas T, Lytvyn L, Heen AF, Feller M, Moutzouri E, Abdulazeem H, Aertgeerts B, Beecher D, Brito JP, Farhoumand PD, Singh Ospina N, Rodondi N, van Driel M, Wallace E, Snel M, Okwen PM, Siemieniuk R, Vandvik PO, Kuijpers T, Vermandere M. Thyroid hormones treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ. 2019 May 14;365:l2006. doi: 10.1136/bmj.l2006.
• Background Ayala IN, Soto Jacome C, Toro-Tobon D, Golembiewski E, Garcia-Bautista A, Hidalgo J, Cordova-Madera S, Al Anbari R, Sohn R J, Singh Ospina N, Maraka S, Joseph M, Brito JP. Appropriateness of Levothyroxine Prescription: A Multicenter Retrospective Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Jan 18;109(2):e765-e772. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgad517.
• Background Toloza FJK, El Kawkgi OM, Spencer HJ, Mathews SE, Garcia A, Gamboa A, Mirza N, Mohan S, Vallejo S, Bogojevic M, Rodriguez-Gutierrez R, Singh Ospina NM, Brito JP, Maraka S. Determinants for Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Multicenter Electronic Health Records-Based Study. Thyroid. 2023 Sep;33(9):1045-1054. doi: 10.1089/thy.2023.0062. Epub 2023 Jun 26.
• Background Ospina NS, Salloum RG, Maraka S, Brito JP. De-implementing low-value care in endocrinology. Endocrine. 2021 Aug;73(2):292-300. doi: 10.1007/s12020-021-02732-y. Epub 2021 May 11.
• Background Burgos N, Toloza FJK, Singh Ospina NM, Brito JP, Salloum RG, Hassett LC, Maraka S. Clinical Outcomes After Discontinuation of Thyroid Hormone Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Thyroid. 2021 May;31(5):740-751. doi: 10.1089/thy.2020.0679. Epub 2020 Dec 29.
• Maraka S, Owen RR, Singh Ospina NM, Knox M, Dodds T, Thostenson JD, Dishongh K, Raciborski RA, Albashaireh A, Shah A, Syed S, Naqvi S, Motahari H, Thumma S, Toloza F, Ambrogini E, Brito JP. Discontinuation of levothyroxine therapy in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism: a pilot randomized clinical trial. Endocrine. 2025 Nov;90(2):781-792. doi: 10.1007/s12020-025-04371-z. Epub 2025 Jul 30.

Drugs

Indications