Thyroid hormone therapy does not improve symptoms in subclinical hypothyroidism, review finds

Thyroid hormone therapy is not associated with improvements in thyroid related symptoms or general quality of life in adults with subclinical hypothyroidism, a systematic review and meta-analysis has found.1

Subclinical hypothyroidism, defined as elevated thyrotropin in combination with normal range free thyroxine, is relatively common, with a higher prevalence in women and older people. It is often treated with thyroid hormones (levothyroxine), particularly when patients have symptoms such as tiredness potentially attributable to hypothyroidism, but evidence of clinical benefit has …