The economic impact of switching from Synthroid for the treatment of hypothyroidism

Figures & data

Figure 1. Study design.

Figure 2. Post-period hypothyroidism-related costs for matched cohort of continuous users of Synthroid and switchers from Synthroid to alternative levothyroxine therapies.

Figure 3. Post-period hypothyroidism-related total medical costs for matched cohort by number of switches.

Table 1. Patient characteristics—pre- and post-matching.

Characteristic	Unmatched					Matched
	Continuous Synthroid users (n = 7,991)		Switchers from Synthroid (n = 2,168)		p value	Continuous Synthroid users (n = 2,052)		Switchers from Synthroid (n = 2,052)		p value
	Mean/n	SD/%	Mean/n	SD/%		Mean/n	SD/%	Mean/n	SD/%
Age (mean; SD)	48.8	10.7	48.7	10.3	.825	48.9	10.3	48.9	10.3	1.000
Sex (n; %)					.472					1.000
Female	6,381	79.9%	1,716	79.2%		1,669	81.3%	1,669	81.3%
Male	1,610	20.2%	452	20.9%		383	18.7%	383	18.7%
Region (n; %)					<.001					<.001
North Central	2,149	26.9%	622	28.7%		487	23.7%	586	28.6%
Northeast	1,070	13.4%	220	10.2%		254	12.4%	205	10.0%
South	3,712	46.5%	1,071	49.4%		1,002	48.8%	1,019	49.7%
West	968	12.1%	245	11.3%		298	14.5%	232	11.3%
Unknown	92	1.2%	10	0.5%		11	0.5%	10	0.5%
Plan Type (n; %)					.010					1.000
Consumer Directed Health Plan	434	5.6%	113	5.3%		92	4.6%	92	4.6%
Comprehensive	299	3.8%	65	3.1%		49	2.4%	49	2.4%
Exclusive Provider Organization	135	1.7%	28	1.3%		21	1.0%	21	1.0%
High Deductible Health Plan	155	2.0%	25	1.2%		20	1.0%	20	1.0%
Point of Service	865	11.1%	272	12.8%		241	11.9%	241	11.9%
Preferred Provider Organization	5,905	75.8%	1,621	76.3%		1,601	79.1%	1,601	79.1%
Baseline Comorbidities (mean; SD)	0.41	0.7	0.38	0.7	.115	0.34	0.6	0.34	0.6	1.000
Number of switches					<.001					<.001
Zero	7,991	0.0%	0	0.0%		2,052	100%	0	0%
One	0	0.0%	1,111	51.2%		0	0%	1,059	51.6%
Two	0	0.0%	800	36.9%		0	0%	748	36.5%
Three	0	0.0%	257	11.9%		0	0%	245	11.9%
Acquired Hypothyroidism (n; %)	7,317	91.6%	2,007	92.6%	.249	1,741	84.8%	1,741	84.8%	1.000

Figure 4. Post-period hypothyroidism-related costs for matched cohort of acquired hypothyroid patients.

Figure 5. Post-period hypothyroidism-related total costs by number of switches for matched cohort of acquired hypothyroidism patients.