Abstract
Hypothyroidism presents a large epidemiological burden in India. As a result of subtle and nonspecific clinical symptoms and signs, the condition often goes undiagnosed and is not adequately treated when it is detected. There is heterogeneity in the diagnostic and treatment approaches to hypothyroidism. As a result of the physiological changes in thyroid hormones with age and illness, it is important to tailor the diagnosis and management of this condition in specific populations including pregnant women, infants, children, geriatric patients, and those with comorbid conditions. Enhanced understanding and education of physicians and patients can help to improve the outcomes of treatment in hypothyroidism which should be focused on patient-centered care. Policies and reforms should be crafted and implemented at the national level to curb public health challenges of hypothyroidism. This publication summarizes the recommendations of a national advisory board meeting to identify and bridge the gaps in understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism in India. As a complement to clinical judgment, these recommendations will foster the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism in the community and clinics for the benefit of the patients.
Funding
Merck Ltd, India.
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Acknowledgements
Funding
The meeting of the advisory board members for discussion of the current topics was funded by Merck Ltd, India. The sponsor also funded the article processing charges for this manuscript.
Medical Writing Assistance
The authors thank Dr. Tarveen Jandoo and Dr. Punit Srivastava of Mediception Science Pvt Ltd for providing medical writing support in the preparation of this publication. Funding for medical writing support was provided by Merck Ltd, India, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
Authorship
All named authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for authorship for this article, take responsibility for the integrity of the work, and have given their approval for this version to be published.
Disclosures
Sanjay Kalra received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. A K Das received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Banshi Saboo received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Deepak Khandelwal received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Mangesh Tiwaskar received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Navneet Agarwal received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Pritam Gupta received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Rakesh Sahay received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Sameer Aggarwal received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Sujoy Ghosh received honoraria as a consultant for Merck Ltd, Mumbai, India for this advisory board meeting. Harshal Chaudhari is an employee of Merck Ltd, India, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Nitin Mulgaonkar is an employee of Merck Ltd, India, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
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This article is based on previously published articles and does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.
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Kalra, S., Das, A.K., Bajaj, S. et al. Diagnosis and Management of Hypothyroidism: Addressing the Knowledge–Action Gaps. Adv Ther 35, 1519–1534 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-018-0744-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-018-0744-7