Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies and retrospective studies that compared radioiodine ablation preparation using rhTSH against standard withholding of thyroid hormone therapy in patients with no known metastatic disease were eligible for inclusion. Outcomes of interest were serum TSH levels, post-therapy scan results, iodine biokinetics in remnants, serum thyroglobulin (Tg), urinary iodine secretion and quality of life.
The included studies investigated the use of 0.9mg of rhTSH administered intramuscularly on two consecutive days, then radioiodine ablation either 24 or 48 hours after the second dose of rhTSH. All of the included patients had undergone total or near-total thyroidectomy for papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. Patients received rhTSH continued on thyroxine replacement throughout their treatment. Most patients were women. Ages ranged from 17 to 75 years.
Study selection was performed by one reviewer.