TY - JOUR
T1 - Thyroid function and longevity
T2 - New insights into an old dilemma
AU - Peeters, Robin P.
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - Ultimately, the question whether or not a mildly elevated TSH should be treated in the elderly can only be answered by a well-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. However, is such a trial ethically justified considering the available evidence? The study by Atzmon et al. (10), which demonstrates that the higher TSH levels in centenarians are at least in part due to their genetic background, is a valuable addition to the current evidence, but it does not provide additional answers to this question. The currently available evidence suggests that the old adagium “primum non nocere” might be the best answer.
AB - Ultimately, the question whether or not a mildly elevated TSH should be treated in the elderly can only be answered by a well-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. However, is such a trial ethically justified considering the available evidence? The study by Atzmon et al. (10), which demonstrates that the higher TSH levels in centenarians are at least in part due to their genetic background, is a valuable addition to the current evidence, but it does not provide additional answers to this question. The currently available evidence suggests that the old adagium “primum non nocere” might be the best answer.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=73249147909&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1210/jc.2009-2198
DO - 10.1210/jc.2009-2198
M3 - Editorial
C2 - 19959751
AN - SCOPUS:73249147909
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 94
SP - 4658
EP - 4660
JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 12
ER -
