A 2023 International Survey of Clinical Practice Patterns in the Management of Graves Disease: A Decade of Change

Abstract

Abstract Context Over the past several decades, there have been indications of potential shifts in the diagnostic strategies, treatment, and monitoring of patients with Graves disease (GD). Objective To evaluate current practices in managing GD and compare them to previous surveys Methods We used a global online survey of endocrinologists to assess shifts in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment in a typical patient with GD, as well as treatment variation in 5 different clinical scenarios. Results A total of 1252 respondents from 85 countries completed the survey. Methods used to diagnose an uncomplicated GD case have changed over the past decade, reflecting increased use of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) and reciprocal decreases in nuclear medicine studies. The preferred mode of therapy for uncomplicated GD was antithyroid drugs (ATDs) by 91.5% of respondents, radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy by 7%, and thyroidectomy by 1.5%. Compared with previous surveys, the use of RAI as a first-line choice decreased in all geographic regions. The United States had the sharpest decline in the selection of initial therapy with RAI, decreasing from 69% in 1990 to 11.1% in 2023. In patients with persistent TRAb positivity after 18 months, 68.7% of respondents would continue the use of ATDs. After a relapse of GD, resumption of ATDs was selected by 59.9% of respondents. In patients with active thyroid eye disease or planning pregnancy, ATDs were the first choice (67.5% and 72.8%, respectively), and thyroidectomy emerged as the second choice (22.9% and 15.6%, respectively). Conclusion Paradigm shifts have occurred in the management of uncomplicated GD and its variants, as well as the response to persistent and recurrent hyperthyroidism.