5150 When Few Options Exist: Graves’ Disease Treated with Potassium Iodide and Levothyroxine Block-and-Replace Therapy
Authors: Magvanjav O , Majumdar S K 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: O. Magvanjav: None. S.K. Majumdar: None.

Background: In the US, methimazole and propylthiouracil are effective first-line agents for the treatment of Graves’ disease. However, side effects including liver dysfunction may limit their use. In such instances, alternative non-conventional agents such as potassium iodide (KI) may be considered. Here, we present a case of a patient with Graves’ disease successfully treated with KI, drawing on the example of similar treatment experiences in Japan. Clinical case: Our patient is a 29-year-old woman who presented with a 3-week history of palpitations accompanied by fatigue, heat intolerance, itchiness, insomnia, and unintentional weight loss. Exam was notable for tachycardia (135 bmp), elevated blood pressure (BP) (150/81 mmHg), normal temperature, slight thyromegaly, brisk reflexes, mild anxiousness, and tremulousness. She was found to have a TSH of 0.007 mIU/ml (normal: 0.270-4.200 mIU/ml), elevated free T4 of 5.19 ng/dl (normal: 0.80-1.70 ng/dL), total T3 of 330 ng/dl (normal: 72.0-153.0 ng/dl), total T4 of 12.1 ug/dl (normal: 4.5-11.7 ug/dl), and positive antibodies (TSI 443%; TRAB 5.42 IU/L). A thyroid ultrasound showed diffuse hyperemia and a 1.4 cm right lobe TR3 nodule. She had a normal baseline neutrophil count with mild eosinophilia; a baseline hepatic function panel was not obtained. She was started on methimazole 20 mg daily and metoprolol XL 50 mg daily for symptom control. One week into treatment, a hepatic function panel showed elevated liver enzyme levels: AST 70 U/L (normal: 10-35 U/L) and ALT 223 U/L (normal: 10-35 U/L); previous values from 2 years prior were normal. Repeat levels a few days later showed increasing liver enzyme levels (AST 83 U/L; ALT 268 U/L) despite decreasing thyroid hormone levels. Methimazole was stopped, and she was then seen by a gastroenterologist, who concurred with the possibility of an adverse drug reaction to methimazole. She declined definitive therapy with surgery or radioactive iodine therapy and wanted to pursue alternative and less invasive options. Drawing on a previous successful experience from Japan, we initiated her on KI (50 mg twice daily), which resulted in normalization of her thyroid hormones within two weeks of initiation. She subsequently developed hypothyroidism 2 months later, at which point we initiated block-and-replace therapy with the addition of 50 mcg of levothyroxine. Her liver enzymes normalized with normalization of thyroid hormones. Conclusions: We present a patient with symptomatic Graves’ disease who was successfully treated with KI in the setting of limited treatment options, specifically an adverse reaction to methimazole (transaminitis), and who declined both surgery and radioactive iodine. This case demonstrates that KI may be useful in Graves’ disease as either a bridge to more definitive therapy when thioamides are not tolerated, or perhaps as a treatment option for those most likely to go into remission.

Presentation: 6/1/2024