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Cited by 17Thyroid Disorders and TreatmentsLipoproteins and Cardiovascular HealthCancer, Lipids, and Metabolism

Use of Statins Among Patients Taking Levothyroxine: an Observational Drug Utilization Study Across Sites

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Idrees, Thaer, Prieto, Wesley H, Casula, Sabina, Ajith, Aswathy, Ettleson, Matthew, Narchi, Flavia A Andreotti, Russo, Pedro S T, Fernandes, Fernando +4 more·2021·Journal of the Endocrine Society
DOI 10.1210/jendso/bvab038PMC PMC8204793
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Abstract

Context: Treatment with levothyroxine (LT4) that normalize serum thyrotropin (TSH) is expected to restore lipid metabolism. Objective: To assess statin utilization in LT4-treated patients through an observational drug utilization study. Methods: Three sites were involved: (1) 10 723 outpatients placed on LT4 during 2006-2019 identified from the Clinical Research Data Warehouse of the University of Chicago; (2) ~1.4 million LT4 prescriptions prepared by primary care physicians during January-December 2018, identified from the IQVIA™ database of medical prescriptions in Brazil; (30 ~5.4 million patient interviews during 2009-2019, including ~0.32 million patients on LT4, identified from the Fleury Group database in Brazil. Results: On site 1, initiation of therapy with LT4 increased the frequency of statin utilization (19.1% vs 24.6%), which occurred ~1.5 years later (median 76 weeks) and, among those patients that were on statins, increased intensity of treatment by 33%, despite normalization of serum TSH levels; on site 2, after matching for sex and age, the frequency of statins prescription was higher for those patients using LT4: females, 2.1 vs 3.4% (odds ratio [OR] 1.656 [1.639-1.673]); males, 3.1 vs 4.4% (OR 1.435 [1.409-1.462]); and, on site 3, after matching for sex and age, the frequency of statin utilization was higher in those patients using LT4: females, 10 vs 18% (OR 2.02 [2.00-2.04]); males, 15 vs 25% (OR 1.92 [1.88-1.96]); all P values were <.0001. Conclusion: Prescription and utilization of statins were higher in patients taking LT4. The reasons for this association should be addressed in future studies.

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  • Many patients complained of difficulties managing body weight and exhibited elevated serum cholesterol levels despite higher statin utilization.

    “Many patients also complained of difficulties managing body weight (8) and exhibited elevated serum cholesterol levels (9) despite higher statin utilization (10, 11); some of these patients resisted the switch from DTE to LT4.”

    From Emerging Therapies in Hypothyroidism (2024) · cites this paper as [11]

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Research works printed but not linked: 21

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Authors
Idrees, T., Prieto, W. H., Casula, S., Ajith, A., Ettleson, M., Narchi, F. A. A., Russo, P. S. T., Fernandes, F., Johnson, J., Mayampurath, A., Maciel, R. M. B., & Bianco, A. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Chicago (US)
  • Fleury S.A. (Brazil) (BR)
  • University of Miami (US)
  • Biolab Pharma (Brazil) (BR)
Corresponding author
Bianco, Antonio C
ORCID
Venue
Journal of the Endocrine Society
Publisher
The Endocrine Society
Published
2021-03-06
Volume
5
Issue
7
Pages
bvab038-bvab038
ISSN
2472-1972 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1210/jendso/bvab038
PMC
PMC8204793
OpenAlex
W3138282173
Cited by
17
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4
FWCI
2.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of the Endocrine Society (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Chicago
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK020595, T32DK007011)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
Keywords
statins, levothyroxine, thyroid hormone replacement, medication use, serum thyrotropin, lipid metabolism, primary care prescribing

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