Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To audit radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment.

Methods : A retrospective audit of thyrotoxic patients, who attended the one-stop RAI clinic, between April 2005 and February 2006.

Results: We included 74 patients (60 females, 14 males) with a median age 54 (22–85) years.

Before RAI: Smoking history was recorded in 19/74(26%) patients. 44/74(59%) patients received drug treatment for two years or more prior to RAI. Graves’ disease constitutes most cases (43/74, 58%). 18/74(24%) patients had evidence of eye disease. Treatment was block and replace in 12/74(16%) patients and dose titration in 62/74(84%).

Post RAI: All patients received 540 mBq ¹³¹I. The first thyroid function test (TFT) was done after 13–210 (median 48) days. However, the first TFT was done within three months in 64/74(86%) patients. The first outpatient appointment was after a median 68(24–365) days. 58/74(78%) patients were seen in outpatient within 3 months. Another 14(19%) were seen between 3 and 6 months post RAI and 2(3%) were not seen in outpatients. 40/74(54%) developed hypothyroidism. 22/40(56%) developed hypothyroidism within 3 months of RAI and 37/40(95%) within 6 months post RAI. There was no significant difference in the development of hypothyroidism post RAI between patients who had ATD titration or block and replace (P=0.34).

Conclusions: RAI was effective in treating thyrotoxicosis. Although most patients had TFTs and follow-up within three months post RAI, more efforts needed to ensure all patients have TFTs and reviewed within 8 weeks post RAI. Attention to smoking history is need as smoking is a known risk factor of thyroid eye disease.