ATC kod: H03AA01
Huvudindikationen för levotyroxin är hypotyreoidism.
Dosering är individuell och lägsta dos levotyroxin bör eftersträvas. Det finns studier som indikerar att kvinnor har högre dosbehov än män mätt i mg/kg ideal vikt. Under graviditet och vid östrogenbehandling ökar vanligen dosbehovet på grund av höjd halt tyroxinbindande globulin vilket leder till minskad serumkoncentration av fritt tyroxin.
Vissa studier indikerar att långtidsanvändning av levotyroxin kan ge minskad bentäthet (BMD) hos kvinnor, särskilt hos postmenopausala kvinnor. Ingen förändring i BMD sågs hos män.
No studies with a clinically relevant sex analysis regarding the pharmacokinetics of levothyroxine have been found.A retrospective observational study (69 men, 88 premenopausal women, 91 postmenopausal women) showed that premenopausal women had a greater dose requirement (mg/kg bodyweight) of levothyroxine than men and postmenopausal women [1]. However, a prospective observational study (13 men, 37 women) showed that when ideal body weight instead of actual body weight was used to calculate the dose, all women had a greater dose requirement than men [2].
In women on oral estrogen therapy or pregnant women, adaptation of dosage is necessary because of elevated thyroxine-binding globulin leading to decreased free thyroxine serum concentration [3]. Levothyroxine-treated pregnant women often need to increase the daily dose by 25-30%. Following delivery, levothyroxine dose should be reduced to prepregnancy levels [4].
See Pharmacokinetics and dosing. No other studies with a clinically relevant sex analysis regarding the effects of levothyroxine have been found.
A review (in total 3279 patients) described that most cross-sectional studies reported adverse effects at a larger number of bone sites in postmenopausal women, suggesting a negative influence on bone mineral density (BMD) with levothyroxine therapy. However, other cross-sectional studies found comparable results in pre- and postmenopausal women, but no effect of levothyroxine on BMD in men. This review reports no dose-response relationship [5]. The original manufacturer report that long-term levothyroxine therapy might induce decreased BMD in women, particularly postmenopausal women on higher doses [6].
Estrogen can increase the concentration of thyroxine-binding globulin in serum. Women using contraceptives containing estrogen or hormone replacement therapy may require higher doses of levothyroxine [7]. Regarding drug-drug interactions aspects, please consult Janusmed Interactions (in Swedish, Janusmed interaktioner).
Regarding teratogenic aspects, please consult Janusmed Drugs and Birth Defects (in Swedish, Janusmed fosterpåverkan).
A cross-sectional retrospective study (33238 men, 87165 women) examined the relationship between TSH and free T4. In individuals not receiving levothyroxine treatment, free T4 concentrations corresponded to higher median TSH in men than in women [8].
Fler kvinnor än män hämtade ut tabletter innehållande levotyroxin (ATC-kod H03AA01) på recept i Sverige år 2015, totalt 356 521 kvinnor och 75 039 män. Det motsvarar 73 respektive 15 personer per tusen invånare. Andelen som hämtat ut läkemedel ökade med stigande ålder hos båda könen. I genomsnitt var tabletter innehållande levotyroxin 4,4 gånger vanligare hos kvinnor [9].
Uppdaterat: 2017-03-28
Litteratursökningsdatum: 2014-09-12
Faktagranskat av: Mia von Euler
Godkänt av: Karin Schenck-Gustafsson