Comparative study of 131I and conventional drug therapy for hyperthyroidism in pilots

YANG Caizhe; LIU Chaoyang; XU Xianrong; LIU Hongjin; ZHENG Jun; LIU Jing; FU Zhaojun; XIONG Wei; GUAN Xiaohong; WANG Jianchang

Abstract：Objective To evaluate the efficacy of 131I and antithyroid drug therapy for the hyperthyroidism disease in pilots and its impact on medical evaluation, summarizing the experience in aviation medicine. Methods The pilots with hyperthyroidism inpatients in the General Airforce Hospital from December 2000 to December 2014 were reviewed, the patients were divided into two groups: the 131I therapy group and the control group (antithyroid drugs treatment group). The main endpoint was disqualified rate. The second endpoint was qualified rate, the average treatment time and relapse rate. Results Among 30 cases of hyperthyroidism diseases: four cases with radioactive 131I therapy group: two cases were finally flying qualified, two cases were assessed as temporary grounding, disqualified rate was 0; among 26 cases of antithyroid drug treatment groups, 7 cases were finally flying qualified, while other 4 cases and 15 cases were respectively assessed as temporary and permantent grounding, disqualified rate was 57.69%. The 2 cases of 131I therapy group flight qualified of flying observation time average 6.5 months (6 to 7 months ); 7 cases of antithyroid drug therapy group flight qualified of flying with an average observation time was up 23.25 months (11 to 69 months). With one case in 131I therapy group of recurrence of hyperthyroidism, the relapse rate was 25%, the relapse rate of control group was 23.08%. Conclusions Pilots suffering from hyperthyroidism with antithyroid treatment has a higher disqualified rate and longer treatment period and ground observation time. 131I therapy can be recommended as the preferred treatment for pilots with hyperthyroidism, in order to shorten the treatment time and reduce the flight disqualified rate.