Clinical and laboratory parameters and quality of life in patients with hypothyroidism

To evaluate the quality of compensation of hypothyroidism, clinical and labora-tory parameters and quality of life of patients with varying degrees of compensa-tion. Two hundred ambulatory patients with primary hypothyroidism receiving levothyroxine (L-T4) for more than one year participated in the study. Patients were examined at baseline and in 6 months. The scores for the Short-Form 36 (SF-36), symptoms of hypothyroidism and lipid profiles were analyzed. Only 58% (84/200) of patients were euthyroid. After 6 months of correction of replacement therapy, hypothyroidism was compensated in 75.5% of patients, decompensated – in 24.5%. We revealed lower level of scale of physical functioning (p = 0.019) among patients with increased level of TSH (>4 mU/l) in comparison with euthyroid patients. As soon as compensation was achieved patients showed better physical functioning (p = 0.01). There were no difference in the quality of life between the patients with decreased TSH and those with compensated hypothyroidism, however, the achievement of compensation was accompanied by improvement in role-emotional functioning (p 4 mU/l hypercholesterolemia occurs more frequently than among patients with compensated hypothyroidism (p = 0.041), but the achievement of compensation led to significant reduction of total cholesterol (p = 0.09) and LDL (p = 0.012). Conclusion: In spite of relative simplicity of L-thyroxin replacement therapy many patients with hypothyroidism remain decompensate. Active followup of the patients with decompensated hypothyroidism improves the precision of thyroxine replacement and contribute to better quality of life and lipid profile.