ABSTRACT
A report is given on 95 thyrotoxic patients treated with a combination of 400 mg propylthiouracil and 400 mg of potassium perchlorate. Perchlorate was stopped when a marked remission of symptoms was obtained, on an average after less than 7 weeks. Euthyroidism was found on an average after 7.2 weeks. The basal metabolic rate, PBI, plasma total cholesterol and weight showed a fairly rapid normalization.
Thirteen of the 95 patients were given radio-iodine therapy shortly before drug therapy was started. The remaining 82 cases were grouped together with the 23 cases previously reported. Of the total of 105 cases, 96 became euthyroid on combined therapy.
For the frequency of side-effects, the thirteen cases mentioned above were included, giving a total of 118 cases. Eight cases showed an increase in goitre size and 15 cases had other side-effects, of which three were granulocytopenia due to propylthiouracil.
The possibility of a higher frequency of mainly minor side-effects on combined therapy has to be balanced against the seemingly rapid and reliable therapeutic effect.
Combined treatment, perhaps with even smaller doses than reported here, can be recommended in selected cases of thyrotoxicosis where a shortening of the thyrotoxic state seems of importance, or possibly where difficulties due to iodine exposure may be anticipated, provided adequate control measures are taken.
Iron/potassium perchlorate pellet burn rate measurements
