Topic: TREATMENT OF VERY LARGE GOITERS WITH RADIOIODINE AFTER STIMULATION WITH RECOMBINANT HUMAN TSH Title: Improvement of goiter volume reduction after 0.3 mg recombinant human thyrotropin-stimulated radioiodine therapy in patients with a very large goiter: a double-blind, randomised trial

Results: On average, goiter volume was unchanged one week after therapy in both groups, but the largest deviations from baseline were observed in the rhTSH group. After twelve months, median goiter volume was reduced from 170 to 121 ml in the placebo group and from 151 to 72 ml in the rhTSH group, respectively (within group: P = 0.001; between group: P = 0.019). This corresponds to reductions of 34.1 ± 3.2 and 53.3 ± 3.3%, respectively (between group: P < 0.001). In the placebo group, goiter reduction correlated positively with the retained thyroid RI dose, whereas such a relationship was absent in the rhTSH group. Adverse effects, mainly related to thyroid pain and cervical compression, were more frequent in the rhTSH group. At twelve months, goiter-related complaints were significantly reduced in both groups without any between-group difference. One and three patients in the placebo and the rhTSH group, respectively, developed hypothyroidism.