Background: Hyperthyroidism, a common thyroid disorder, is often managed
with radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. However, the efficacy and outcomes of
different RAI doses over time remain incompletely understood. This study
aimed to evaluate the impact of various RAI doses on thyroid function in
hyperthyroidism patients, assessing changes over a 12-month period post-
therapy.
Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 303
hyperthyroidism patients who underwent RAI therapy at two medical centers.
Patients were predominantly female (54.8%) with a median age of 38 years. We
analyzed thyroid function at 6 and 12 months post-therapy, correlating outcomes
with RAI doses ranging from 10-20 mCi. Symptoms, hormone levels, and the
presence of anti-TPO antibodies were also assessed.
Results: At 6 months post-RAI, 53.5% of patients developed hypothyroidism,
27.0% were euthyroid, and 19.5% remained hyperthyroid. By 12 months, 79.5%
had hypothyroidism. The incidence of hypothyroidism varied with RAI dose,
being highest in the 18-20 mCi group. Notably, a dose-dependent response was
observed, with higher RAI doses more likely to result in hypothyroidism.
Conclusions: Most Graves' disease patients developed hypothyroidism within
one year following RAI131 treatment, with higher doses associated with earlier
onset hypothyroidism. RAI131 dosage and other parameters may predict
hypothyroidism timing and help guide therapy individualization.