Radioactive iodine for thyrotoxicosis in childhood and adolescence: Treatment and outcomes

Objective: the aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcome of radioiodine treatment in thyrotoxicosis in childhood and adolescence. methods: this was a retrospective study of 27 patients (ages 7.2- 19.8 years) with a diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis who received iodine-131 (i-131) treatment from january 2007 to december 2011 in the nuclear medicine division,department of radiology,faculty of medicine,chiang mai university. gender,duration of antithyroid drug (atd) treatment,24-hour i-131 uptake,thyroid weight,total dose and number of treatments with i-131,and thyroid status at 6 months after treatment were recorded. results: the outcomes of 27 patients (85.2% female,14.8% male) treated with radioactive iodine were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of therapy as related to dose and gland size. all children and adolescents received 150 μci of i-131/g of thyroid tissue (n=27). six 6 months after treatment,44.5% of the patients were hyperthyroid,14.8% were euthyroid,and 40.7% were hypothyroid. of the 12 cases with hyperthyroidism,2 cases needed a second dose of i-131 treatment,and they finally reached a hypothyroid state. the patients were classified into 2 groups according to treatment success (euthyroid and hypothyroid) and treatment failure (hyperthyroid). there were no significant differences in age,gender,duration of atd treatment,2- and 24-hour i-131 uptake,thyroid weight,and total i-131 dose between these two groups. conclusions: radioiodine treatment is safe and effective for thyrotoxicosis in childhood and adolescence. it is suitable as a good second-line therapy for patients with severe complications,those who show poor compliance,and those who fail to respond to atd treatment. © journal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology,published by galenos publishing.