Patient-reported outcomes after radioactive iodine: comparative evidence from Graves’ disease and toxic adenoma

Abstract

This prospective study assessed the change in disease-specific Quality of Life (QoL) using the ThyPRO-39 questionnaire in 83 patients with Graves’ disease (n=62) and toxic adenoma (n=21) 12 months after radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Both groups showed overall QoL improvement. Patients with toxic adenoma experienced a more uniform and statistically significant recovery across most domains (p < 0.01), particularly hyperthyroid symptoms and daily activity limitations. While Graves’ patients also improved (especially goitre symptoms and anxiety), they showed less pronounced or non-significant changes in fatigue and emotional susceptibility. The study concludes that RAI improves QoL, but Graves’ patients may require more comprehensive long-term care due to residual fatigue and emotional issues.