Author:
Ferrari Silvia Martina,Patrizio Armando,Mazzi Valeria,Ragusa Francesca,Botrini Chiara,Elia Giusy,Balestri Eugenia,Barozzi Emilio,Rugani Licia,Bracchitta Fabiana,Stoppini Giulio,Frenzilli Giada,Baldini Enke,Virili Camilla,Benvenga Salvatore,Fallahi Poupak,Antonelli Alessandro
Abstract
In hypothyroid patients needing large doses of levothyroxine (L-T4) (>1.7–2 μg/kg/day) to reach euthyroidism, lactose intolerance (LI) needs to be excluded, owing to the high prevalence in the population. If LI is present, a lactose-free diet decreases the rate of L-T4 malabsorption. However, an increased requirement of L-T4 is described in patients with LI, which can be beneficially treated using lactose-free L-T4 formulation. The lactose-free liquid L-T4 formulation is able to circumvent LI malabsorption leading to the normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and long-term stable TSH levels.