Hypothyroidism can be a complicated disease on its own and require daily medication in most cases and surgery in more serious cases. But many people with hypothyroidism have other conditions as well. Some of those include diabetes, celiac disease, lupus, anemia, and Sjogren's syndrome.
Another one is chronic kidney disease, which can be associated with hypothyroidism in some patients. Chronic kidney disease causes the kidneys to fail, which makes it hard to filter waste and water from your blood. People with the disease often need medication or more advanced treatment to help them filter out this waste.
A current National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)-supported study is investigating patients with both chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism.
The five-year study started in 2019 and has 336 participants. It is looking at whether levothyroxine, a medication that treats hypothyroidism by increasing thyroid hormones, helps hemodialysis patients' overall health and quality of life. Hemodialysis is a treatment for people with chronic kidney disease. During hemodialysis, waste and water are filtered from a person's blood by a machine called a dialyzer. The blood is then returned into your body.
Researchers also want to learn whether levothyroxine improves these patients' cardiovascular health.
In addition to studying chronic kidney disease, NIDDK has ongoing studies that track hypothyroidism patients over time. One such study, which has been active since 1977, focuses on people with all types of thyroid issues, including hypothyroidism. Participants go through regular check-ups and testing. Researchers use that data to improve how to best manage thyroid issues and better understand the genetics of the thyroid conditions.
For more information on the latest hypothyroidism clinical trials from both NIDDK and others, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
