T4 Treatment In "subclinical" Hypothyroid In People Age 65+

[Dan W]

I'd be curious to hear from others on this because the results surprised me:
Thyroid Hormone Therapy for Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

My oversimplified, probably incorrect summary: bunch of people over the age of 65 with high TSH (and free T4 within the reference range) given enough T4 to get the TSH <4.6. Their symptoms didn't budge relative to placebo.

Something about older people's livers being useless with T4-only, perhaps?

 

[ecstatichamster]

I think you are reading this right. I think this is another indication at T3 is most critical. Many people just don't convert T4 into T3.

 

[tankasnowgod]

I'd be curious to hear from others on this because the results surprised me:
Thyroid Hormone Therapy for Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

My oversimplified, probably incorrect summary: bunch of people over the age of 65 with high TSH (and free T4 within the reference range) given enough T4 to get the TSH <4.6. Their symptoms didn't budge relative to placebo.

Something about older people's livers being useless with T4-only, perhaps?

While the results likely would have been different with NDT or a combo of synthetic T4/T3, there is one interesting thing if you look at Table 3. While the number of deaths was higher in the T4 only group (twice as high, 10 T4 compared to 5 in the placebo group), fewer T4 patients overall had what was deemed "Serious Adverse Events" (78 in T4 vs. 103 Placebo) and fewer total number of said events (142 T4 vs. 201 Placebo).