FRI524 Improving The Quality Of Life In Patients With Not Adequately Treated Hypothyroidism: The Impact Of Comprehensive Thyroid Care For Hypothyroid Patients
Authors: Högqvist Tabor Vedrana , Tarasova Marina , Cohen-Skalli Guillaume , Dubois Florian , Curran Brittany 
Published: October 2023

Disclosure: V. Högqvist Tabor: Consulting Fee; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc. M. Tarasova: Employee; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc. Owner/Co-Owner; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc. G. Cohen-Skalli: Owner/Co-Owner; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc. F. Dubois: Employee; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc. B. Curran: Employee; Self; Butterfly Technologies Inc.

Underactive thyroid is affecting approximately 25 million people in the USA. Even though the treatment of the basic condition has been established in form of hormone replacement, there is a considerably large group of patients that continues to experience a plethora of hypothyroidism symptoms and suffer from poor quality of life. The lack of individualized approach, combined with the lack of preventive health management strategies, increases the risk of many health complications: obesity, type 2 diabetes, depressive spectrum disorders, infertility, muscle and bone problems, heart conditions, and dementias. Presently, the Paloma Health Thyroid Solution consists of a virtual clinic providing holistic thyroid care and an app for hypothyroid patients, it enables patients to receive care by medical experts in the field of endocrinology, autoimmune diseases and hypothyroidism as well as a nutritionist. In addition, it provides at-home thyroid hormone test kits, symptom recording, offers a library of informational articles, and connects the community of hypothyroid patients. The 12-week program offered to new patients facilitates learning about the most important aspects of managing the condition, including implementation of a phased elimination diet (known as the Autoimmune Protocol, AIP). Patients reported to feel more empowered, taken care of and understood after using Paloma Health Thyroid Solution. At the same time physicians have a real-time patient dashboard, and can promptly recognise signs of health worsening in patients and help correct the health management. In order to evaluate the usefulness of the approach, we have selected 45 patients that were diagnosed with hypothyroidism for at least six months, have been prescribed hormone replacement treatment, and have reported (i) low energy, (ii) low focus, (iii) sensitivity to cold, and (iv) headaches. Symptoms were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale starting from the most intense symptom experience to the absence of the symptom. We analyzed recorded symptoms, starting at the first day when patients started using Paloma Health Thyroid Solution and for the next 12 weeks. We averaged symptom experiences per patient, per week in order to have a better representation of symptom intensity for each given week. We found that patients using Paloma Health comprehensive services significantly improved symptoms related to an under-active thyroid: energy, focus, intolerance to cold and headache. The improvement was first detectable after 2 weeks of start of Paloma Health Thyroid Service, and continued the positive improvement trend for the full duration of the time period. Here we show for the first time that using the combination of accessible and individualised approach, coupled with digital technology enabling easy access to both skilled healthcare specialists as well as the vetted information and empathic support services (care manager and community) can help patients experiencing unresolved thyroid symptoms, despite previously prescribed therapy. Using virtual clinics offering preventive health management catered specifically to each individual holds a promise of helping the group of patients that currently do not fully benefit from one approach-fits-all treatment that has been hampering hypothyroid health management for the past 40 years. This approach has the potential to both reduce the burden on patients and healthcare practitioners and save costs for payers.

Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023