Effects of methimazole combined with selenium yeast on thyroid function, thyroid antibody levels and immune function in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease complicated with hyperthyroidism
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of methimacole combined with selenium yeast on thyroid function, thyroid antibody levels and immune function in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) patients complicated with hyperthyroidism. MethodsAccording to the random number method, 83 AITD patients complicated with hyperthyroidism in our hospital from September 2018 to December 2020 were divided into two groups. With a 3-month course of treatment, 41 patients in the control group were treated with methimazole, and 42 patients in the observation group were given selenium yeast treatment on the basis of the control group. The thyroid function, thyroid antibody levels and immune function were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. ResultsBefore the treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) between the observation group and the control group (P>0.05). After 3 months of treatment, TSH levels in both groups significantly increased, while FT4 and FT3 levels remarkably decreased. And there were no statistically significant differences in TSH, FT4 and FT3 levels between the two groups (P>0.05). Before treatment, levels of antithyroglobulin antibody (TGAb), thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb), and antithyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). 3 months after treatment, TGAb, TRAb and TPOAb levels in both groups significantly decreased, and the levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group , which differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Before the treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ levels between both groups (P>0.05). After 3 months of treatment, the patients in the observation group had significantly higher CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ levels and lower CD8+ level than the patients in the control group,and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionsThe treatment of methimazole combined with selenium yeast for AITD patients with hyperthyroidism resulted in a significant reduction of thyroid antibody levels and a notable improvement of thyroid function and immune function.