Levothyroxine and potassium iodide are both effective in treating benign solitary solid cold nodules of the thyroid.

Author(s): La Rosa GL, Lupo L, Giuffrida D, Gullo D, Vigneri R, Belfiore A

Affiliation(s): University of Catania, Italy.

Publication date & source: 1995-01-01, Ann Intern Med., 122(1):1-8.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of levothyroxine and potassium iodide in treating patients with benign solitary cold thyroid nodules. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic at a university hospital. PATIENTS: 80 patients with solitary solid cold thyroid nodules found to be benign at cytologic examination were randomly assigned to no treatment, suppressive levothyroxine (thyroid-stimulating hormone level, < 0.3 mU/L), or low-dose potassium iodide (2 mg every 2 weeks). Seventy patients completed the 1-year study. After 1 year, patients receiving treatment discontinued drug therapy and were re-evaluated 4 months later; patients receiving no treatment were given levothyroxine and were followed for a second year. MEASUREMENTS: Nodule volume was measured by ultrasonography at 4-month intervals by an observer masked to treatment assignment. RESULTS: Mean nodule volume decreased by 40% of the basal volume in the 23 patients receiving levothyroxine (P < 0.001) and by 23% of the basal volume in the 25 patients receiving potassium iodide (P = 0.053). Volume slightly increased in the 22 untreated patients (P = 0.085). A clinically relevant reduction in nodule volume (> or = 50%) was observed in 9 of 23 patients treated with levothyroxine, in 5 of 25 patients treated with potassium iodide, and in none of 22 untreated patients (P = 0.004). Only nodules with a volume of 10 mL or less were reduced; nodules with volumes of 5 mL or less shrank most frequently. Nodule volume did not relevantly increase in treated patients but did increase in 3 of the 22 untreated patients. Drug withdrawal resulted in an increased mean nodule volume (P = 0.004) after 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: Levothyroxine and, to a lesser extent, potassium iodide are effective in arresting the growth or in reducing the volume of benign solitary solid cold thyroid nodules, especially small ones; discontinuation of therapy may result in resumed nodule growth.