Long-Term Outcome of Hyperthyroidism Treated with Antithyroid Drugs

Abstract

An evaluation was made to determine the incidence of prolonged remission in 355 patients treated for hyperthyroidism with antithyroid drugs. Fifty-four per cent of 176 patients who could be found had experienced remissions which had continued from 10 to 20 yr in three fourths of the group and from 6 to 9 yr in the remainder. Seventy per cent of the recurrences occurred within a year after therapy, and recurrence later than 6 yr after treatment was rare (2.8%). Hyperthyroidism of short duration seemed to correlate with prolonged remission, and complete or moderate reduction in the size of the goiter at the conclusion of treatment compared to initial size indicated the likelihood of prolonged remission.