Effects of Treatment with L-Thyroxine on Chronic Urticaria in Subjects with Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

What was studied

This review pooled results from earlier studies on chronic urticaria. In this condition, skin welts or swelling keep coming back for over 6 weeks. It often occurs in people who also have autoimmune thyroiditis. The studies they found in Scopus and Pubmed came out from 1989 to 2018. They looked at whether the thyroid drug L-thyroxine, or LT4, eased skin symptoms. Only some of these studies went into the main analysis.

What they found

Across the pooled studies, LT4 was linked to a clear easing of symptoms. But LT4 was not shown to work better than placebo or usual care. It was not clear who gained more from the drug. This covered people with normal thyroid levels and those with low thyroid function. It was also unclear which way of giving the drug worked better.

What it means for patients

The authors say the evidence on LT4 for urticaria is mixed. Any benefit for skin symptoms is still not certain. They call for more work on how urticaria and thyroiditis are linked. This includes a search for markers in the body that tie them together.

Why it is not certain yet

The main analysis used only some of the studies found. These studies came out between 1989 and 2018. LT4 showed no edge over placebo or usual care. The abstract does not say how many people took part. A review can only be as good as the studies in it.

Source

Effects of Treatment with L-Thyroxine on Chronic Urticaria in Subjects with Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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