Environmental Iodine Content, Female Sex and Age Are Associated with New-Onset Amiodarone-Induced Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adverse Reactions of Amiodarone on the Thyroid

Zhong et al., 2016 | Cardiology | Meta Analysis

Citation

Zhong Bin, Wang Yazhu, ... Wang Zhe. Environmental Iodine Content, Female Sex and Age Are Associated with New-Onset Amiodarone-Induced Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adverse Reactions of Amiodarone on the Thyroid. Cardiology. 2016;134(3):366-71. doi:10.1159/000444578

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of new-onset amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism (AIH) and the associated risk factors. METHODS: We performed a systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library and the Chinese database from 1995 to 2015. Studies that investigated amiodarone-related adverse reactions on the thyroid were included. A random-effect model was used for the meta-analysis to investigate the incidence rate of AIH and associated risk factors. RESULTS: We identified 465 studies, of which data from 9 studies were included, comprising 1,972 patients. The incidence of AIH was 14.0% (95% confidence interval, CI, 8.7-21.7%) as a whole; it was higher in areas with a high than a low iodine content in the environment (20.3 vs. 8.7%, p < 0.001); subgroup analysis showed that AIH occurred in 19.2% (95% CI 10.2-33.1%) of women and 13.3% (95% CI 7.9-21.7%) of men (p < 0.001). Meta-regression analysis indicated a positive correlation with the mean age and percentage of women. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of AIH is a relatively frequent complication of amiodarone, and older women are more likely to develop AIH, especially in areas with a high iodine content in the environment, and restriction of total exposure to iodine might decrease the incidence of AIH.

Key Findings

We identified 465 studies, of which data from 9 studies were included, comprising 1,972 patients. The incidence of AIH was 14.0% (95% confidence interval, CI, 8.7-21.7%) as a whole; it was higher in areas with a high than a low iodine content in the environment (20.3 vs. 8.7%, p < 0.001); subgroup analysis showed that AIH occurred in 19.2% (95% CI 10.2-33.1%) of women and 13.3% (95% CI 7.9-21.7%) of men (p < 0.001). Meta-regression analysis indicated a positive correlation with the mean age and

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 1972
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Age Factors
  • Amiodarone
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Incidence
  • Iodine
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: iodine

Provenance


Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09