TY - JOUR
T1 - Excess use of thyroid hormone treatment among patients with fibromyalgia
T2 - a cross-sectional study in primary health care
AU - Varinen, Aleksi
AU - Kosunen, Elise
AU - Koskela, Tuomas H.
N1 - Funding Information:
The current study was partly financially supported by the Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility Area of Tampere University Hospital. Researcher Aleksi Varinen has also received funding from Suomen Yleislääketieteen Säätiö (the Finnish Foundation of General Practice) for his fibromyalgia study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/2
Y1 - 2022/2
N2 - Objective: From previous studies, it is known that the association between fibromyalgia and thyroid autoimmunity diseases exists. On the other hand, it was recently suggested that in many cases thyroid hormone treatment might be unnecessary. The aim of our study is to explore the thyroid hormone treatment among primary health care fibromyalgia patients. Our study is cross-sectional and based on fibromyalgia study from the city of Nokia Health Center. Clinical examination was performed to participants, patients filled five questionnaires and information from electronic patient records was gathered. In addition to other parameters, we studied patient’s thyroid function levels at the beginning of thyroid hormone treatment. Results: From those patients participating in the study (n = 103), 34% (n = 33) had thyroid hormone treatment. From those taking thyroid hormone treatment, 48% (n = 16) had information regarding the initial TSH and T4-V levels at the beginning of the treatment. 37% (n = 6) of them had normal thyroid function. Small sample size and data gathered from single health center effects on the generalizability of our findings. However, we suggest further studies to confirm the potential association between fibromyalgia and inappropriate thyroid hormone treatment.
AB - Objective: From previous studies, it is known that the association between fibromyalgia and thyroid autoimmunity diseases exists. On the other hand, it was recently suggested that in many cases thyroid hormone treatment might be unnecessary. The aim of our study is to explore the thyroid hormone treatment among primary health care fibromyalgia patients. Our study is cross-sectional and based on fibromyalgia study from the city of Nokia Health Center. Clinical examination was performed to participants, patients filled five questionnaires and information from electronic patient records was gathered. In addition to other parameters, we studied patient’s thyroid function levels at the beginning of thyroid hormone treatment. Results: From those patients participating in the study (n = 103), 34% (n = 33) had thyroid hormone treatment. From those taking thyroid hormone treatment, 48% (n = 16) had information regarding the initial TSH and T4-V levels at the beginning of the treatment. 37% (n = 6) of them had normal thyroid function. Small sample size and data gathered from single health center effects on the generalizability of our findings. However, we suggest further studies to confirm the potential association between fibromyalgia and inappropriate thyroid hormone treatment.
KW - Cross-sectional study
KW - Drug prescription
KW - Family practice
KW - Fibromyalgia
KW - Thyroid hormone treatment
U2 - 10.1186/s13104-022-05971-y
DO - 10.1186/s13104-022-05971-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 35209937
AN - SCOPUS:85125293649
SN - 1756-0500
VL - 15
JO - Bmc Research Notes
JF - Bmc Research Notes
M1 - 83
ER -
