ETA2022 Poster Presentations Hypothyroidism Treatment (10 abstracts)
1University of Pisa, Department of Translational Research of New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Pisa, Italy; 2University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa, Italy; 3University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pisa, Italy
Objective: The treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPI; omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole) used for gastritis, gastric ulcer, etc. could lead to L-thyroxine (L-T4) malabsorption issues, that is induced by the increased gastric pH. Many factors like age, way of assumption (during breakfast or with food), other drugs interferences, drug-kinetics, adherence to therapy, could impair the L-T4 absorption.
Methods: The study involved 27 hypothyroid patients in treatment with L-T4 tablet formulation. All patients were switched to an oral liquid L-T4 formulation, maintaining the same dosage of L-T4.
Results: We showed that circulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels could be normalized or decreased, after the switch from L-T4 tablet to a liquid formulation, at the same dose. Furthermore, a worsening of TSH levels, with a relapse in the hypothyroid range, was recorded in 15 of these patients who, for different reasons, were switched back to take L-T4 in tablets, with the same dosage.
Conclusion: Finally, our study suggests that the L-T4 malabsorption issue caused by PPI, could be solved with the assumption of the L-T4 in a liquid formulation. However, this field needs to be further investigated involving also other conditions of altered L-T4 absorption.