Background@#This study aimed to investigate the changes of
incidence and
treatment of choice for
hyperthyroidism from 2003 to 2018 and explore the
treatment-related
complications and concomitant comorbidities in
South Korea using data from the
National Health Insurance Service. @*
Methods@#This is a retrospective
observational study.
Hyperthyroidism was defined as a case having two or more diagnostic
codes of
thyrotoxicosis, with
antithyroid drug intake for more than 6 months. @*Results@#The average age-standardized
incidence of
hyperthyroidism from 2003 to 2018 was 42.23 and 105.13 per 100,000
men and
women, respectively. In 2003 to 2004,
hyperthyroidism was most often diagnosed in
patients in their 50s, but in 2017 to 2018, people were most often diagnosed in their 60s. During the entire period, about 93.7% of
hyperthyroidism patients were prescribed with
antithyroid drugs, and meanwhile, the annual rates of ablation
therapy decrease from 7.68% in 2008 to 4.56% in 2018.
Antithyroid drug-related adverse events, mainly
agranulocytosis and acute
hepatitis, as well as
complications of
hyperthyroidism such as
atrial fibrillation or flutter,
osteoporosis, and fractures, occurred more often in younger
patients. @*Conclusion@#In
Korea,
hyperthyroidism occurred about 2.5 times more in
women than in
men, and
antithyroid drugs were most preferred as the first-line
treatment. Compared to the general
population,
hyperthyroid patients may have a higher
risk of
atrial fibrillation or flutter,
osteoporosis, and fractures at a younger age.