Premium
Gastric emptying function changes in patients with thyroid cancer after withdrawal of thyroid hormone therapy
Author(s) -
KAO PANFU,
LIN JENDER,
CHIU CHENGTANG,
HSU HUITING,
SEE LAICHU,
TZEN KAIYUAN
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2003.03326.x
Subject(s) - gastric emptying , medicine , gastroenterology , thyroid , hormone , endocrinology , thyroid function , cancer , thyroid function tests , stomach
Background: Hypothyroidism is commonly thought to cause decreased gastric emptying but is mostly associated with autoimmune disease. In the present study the gastric emptying function of thyroid cancer patients with severe hypothyroidism of short duration was evaluated with a radionuclide solid meal gastric emptying study. Methods: Twenty‐two patients who had undergone surgical operation and 131 I ablation for thyroid cancer participated in solid meal gastric emptying studies before the withdrawal of thyroxine and then again 4 weeks after the withdrawal of thyroxine. Eleven patients had an additional gastric emptying study at 6 weeks after withdrawal of thyroxine. Gastric emptying curves and emptying parameters were calculated. Student's paired t ‐test was used for statistical analysis of data for all cases between the baseline and at 4 weeks after withdrawal. An additional repeated measure anova with multiple comparisons was performed on data between baseline, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after withdrawal for the other 11 patients. All P values presented are two‐tailed and the significance level is 0.05. Results: Hypothyroidism status was confirmed by the marked change of the serum thyroxine and thyroid‐stimulating hormone 4 weeks and 6 weeks after withdrawal of the thyroxine replacement ( P < 0.001). The gastric half‐emptying time and emptying rate changed significantly after short‐term severe thyroid hormone deficiency ( P < 0.005). However, the length of the lag phase did not have a statistically significant change at 4 weeks or 6 weeks after withdrawal of the thyroxin replacement ( P = 0.219 and 0.142). Conclusions: Hypothyroidism following the withdrawal of the thyroxine replacement in thyroid cancer patients preparing for 131 I cancer work‐up can significantly prolong gastric half‐emptying time and emptying rate.