Twenty-two Years' Experience in the Medical Management of Juvenile Thyrotoxicosis

Ninety-five patients with juvenile thyrotoxicosis have been studied over the period 1952-1974. Medical treatment with propylthiouracil has been the treatment of choice. Of 75 who have been adequately followed, 40% have achieved remission with medical treatment alone. The average duration of medical treatment was 3.2 years. Toxic reactions have been few and mild. Thirty-two cases were treated surgically, 13 because of noncompliance with drug treatment and 13 because of recurrence following discontinuation of the drug. Medical treatment has been eminently satisfactory in this clinic. In the absence of exceptionally skilled surgical services drug treatment is to be preferred and may be continued virtually indefinitely in the absence of drug reaction.