SINGLE DAILY DOSE OF METHIMAZOLE COMPARED TO EVERY 8 HOURS PROPYLTHIOURACIL IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTHYROIDISM

This study to compare single-dose and multiple-dose antithyroid therap y was prompted by a perceived lack of compliance in our University Med ical Clinics by those patients using multidose regimens. Twenty-two hy perthyroid patients were randomly assigned to two therapy groups. Twel ve received methimazole (Tapazole) 30 mg once daily in the morning; 10 received propylthiouracil 100 mg every 8 hours. Patients were seen ev ery 4 weeks for 3 months and assessed clinically, as well as having th e appropriate thyroid tests done. Univariate analysis revealed no diff erence in the two groups at baseline. Posttreatment assessment reveale d the once-a-day methimazole therapy to be just as effective as propyl thiouracil in improving thyroid indices and clinical markers. Complian ce with methimazole was 83.3% compared to 53.3% with propylthiouracil. In conclusion, once-a-day methimazole was just as effective as propyl thiouracil every 8 hours in this population. Compliance was also impro ved with the once-a-day therapy.