Thyroid Hormone Replacement Slows Kidney Function Decline in CKD Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Before patients with CKD and subclinical hypothyroidism received thyroid hormone replacement therapy (THRT) with L-thyroxine, eGFR declined by 4.31 mL/min/1.73 m² each year on average, but after they received THRT, kidney function declined by 1.08 mL/min/1.73 m² each year. Based on the slope of eGFR decline prior to THRT, 53 of the 113 patients in the study (46.9%) would reach stage 5 CKD within 10 years. However, with THRT, researchers estimated that only 10 patients (8.8%) would reach this outcome in 10 years. Thus, THRT delayed kidney failure in 43 of 53 (81%) of patients. The findings are published in Thyroid.