Table of Contents
- Clinical trial overview
- Radiation-related hypothyroidism prevention
- Levothyroxine and sexual function in subclinical hypothyroidism
- Early thyroid hormone replacement after hemithyroidectomy
- Main outcomes and how they are measured
- Who may be included in these studies
Clinical trial overview
The trial data show three interventional studies of Levothyroxine, and all are in Phase 3.[1][2][3] Phase 3 studies usually test treatment effects in larger groups and measure results carefully over time.[1][2][3]
These trials study very different situations: prevention of thyroid problems after radiation, effects on sexual function in subclinical hypothyroidism, and kidney function after thyroid surgery.[1][2][3] The enrolled groups are small to moderate in size, with 65, 90, and 56 participants planned or included in the listed studies.[1][2][3]
Radiation-related hypothyroidism prevention
One authorised Phase 3 trial, called WINHYPO 2021, studies children and young people with medulloblastoma and patients with Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma who need radiation therapy near the thyroid area.[1] The study asks whether adding Levothyroxine during radiotherapy can protect the thyroid and reduce later hypothyroidism.[1]
The brief summary says the goal is to reduce the incidence of hypothyroidism after radiation by using TSH suppression during irradiation.[1] TSH suppression means lowering TSH levels, which are measured in blood and used to check thyroid function.[1]
The main endpoint is hypothyroidism-free survival at 3 years after radiotherapy, in patients whose thyroid tissue is partly or fully included in the radiation field.[1] The analysis uses the intention-to-treat population, and patients are followed with TSH blood tests to see whether hypothyroidism appears within 3 years from the start of radiotherapy.[1]
Levothyroxine and sexual function in subclinical hypothyroidism
Another Phase 3 trial, which is completed, studied adults with subclinical hypothyroidism and erectile dysfunction.[2] The brief summary says the researchers wanted to assess the impact of Levothyroxine treatment on sexual activity in patients with TSH greater than 5, adjusted for body weight and baseline TSH values.[2]
This study also included sildenafil as a comparison treatment in the listed interventions, but the trial data focus on how Levothyroxine was used in the study design.[2] The target population was patients with thyroid underactivity that was mild or not fully obvious, together with erectile dysfunction.[2]
The study measured changes in several questionnaires over time, including IIEF-15, EHS, PGIC, and EDITS, from baseline to 3 months after treatment.[2] These tools help show how patients feel about erectile function, erection firmness, satisfaction with treatment, and overall change.[2]
Early thyroid hormone replacement after hemithyroidectomy
A third authorised Phase 3 randomised controlled trial studies patients at risk of postoperative hypothyroidism after hemithyroidectomy, which means removal of one half of the thyroid gland.[3] The study also includes patients with incident kidney dysfunction and chronic kidney disease in the listed conditions.[3]
Researchers want to know whether postoperative treatment with Levothyroxine improves kidney function compared with standard care without Levothyroxine.[3] The brief summary says the key question is whether early thyroid hormone replacement leads to better kidney function 3 months after surgery.[3]
The primary outcome is the change in eGFR from baseline to 3 months after surgery, measured with standard laboratory methods.[3] eGFR is a standard way to estimate how well the kidneys are filtering blood.[3]
Main outcomes and how they are measured
The radiation study uses a time-based outcome, looking at whether patients stay free from hypothyroidism for 3 years after radiotherapy.[1] It also uses TSH blood testing to check when hypothyroidism begins.[1]
The sexual function study uses patient-reported questionnaires, which means the patients answer questions about symptoms and treatment effects themselves.[2] The listed tools measure erectile function, erection hardness, treatment satisfaction, and the patient’s own impression of change.[2]
The kidney study uses a laboratory outcome, eGFR, to track change in kidney function over 3 months.[3] This gives a clear number that can be compared before and after surgery.[3]
Who may be included in these studies
The first study is for patients with medulloblastoma at any stage and any biological risk, plus pediatric patients with Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma who need radiation on the thyroid site.[1] This means the trial is focused on children and young people whose cancer treatment may affect the thyroid.[1]
The second study includes patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and erectile dysfunction, with TSH greater than 5 mentioned in the brief summary.[2] The trial is aimed at adults who have both a mild thyroid problem and sexual function symptoms.[2]
The third study includes patients at risk of hypothyroidism after hemithyroidectomy and looks at kidney-related outcomes after surgery.[3] The trial also lists chronic kidney disease and incident kidney dysfunction among the conditions studied.[3]





