A thyroxine absorption test followed by weekly thyroxine administration: a method to assess non-adherence to treatment.

Journal article

OBJECTIVE: For patients who remain hypothyroid despite the administration of what would seem adequate doses of levothyroxine (L-T4), the underlying cause can be difficult to determine. The possibility of a biological cause should first be explored; however, in the majority of cases, poor adherence to medication is likely to be the main cause of treatment failure. When non-adherence is suspected but not volunteered, options to confirm the suspicion are limited. In this study, we identified patients for whom known drugs and pathological causes of L-T4 malabsorption were excluded, and despite often high doses of L-T4, the patients remained hypothyroid. DESIGN: Using a weight-determined oral L-T4 bolus administration, absorption was initially assessed in 23 patients. In nearly all patients, this was shown to be maximal at 120 min post-ingestion. This was then followed by the continued administration of a weekly T4 bolus for a 4-week period after which TSH and free T4 (fT4) levels were recorded. RESULTS: All patients showed a rise in fT4 at 120 min following the administration of the L-T4 bolus, with a mean increase of 54±3% from baseline. Following the treatment period, using an equivalent weekly L-T4 dose, which was significantly less than that of the daily dose taken by the patients before the test, TSH reduced from baseline in ~75% of cases. CONCLUSION: Using this combination of tests allows significant malabsorptive problems to be identified first and then potential non-adherence to be demonstrated. A management plan can then be implemented to increase adherence, aiming to improve treatment outcomes.

Authors: Walker, J; Shillo, P; Ibbotson, V; Vincent, A; Karavitaki, N

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: European journal of endocrinology / European Federation of Endocrine Societies
• Volume: 168
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 913-917
• Publication date: 2013-06-01
• DOI: 10.1530/eje-12-1035
• EISSN: 1479-683X
• ISSN: 0804-4643
• Language: English
• Keywords: Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Adult; Thyrotropin; Thyroxine; Female; Young Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Drug Administration Schedule; Aged