[Status of 3 years of hyperthyroidism treatment with iodine 131].

We analysed retrospectively the results obtained during 3 years in the treatment of thyrotoxicosis with 131-iodine. A group of 32 patients, including 21 Graves' diseases, 10 multinodular toxic goitres and 1 toxic adenoma has been collected. The therapeutic efficacy of one dose of radioiodine, assessed after 6 months was 100% in toxic multinodular goitres and 57% in Graves' diseases. No acute complications were observed. The best radiosensitivity of toxic multinodular goitres compared with diffuse goitres is probably due to the mechanisms themselves of thyrotoxicosis in these diseases. Results also suggest that multinodular toxic goitres in our country should be systematically treated with antithyroid drugs before radioiodine. In Graves' disease, no predictive factor of the early response to therapy could be definitely evidenced. Finally, clinicians should be aware of the advantages of such a treatment of thyrotoxicosis which is not very aggressive and at least definitive.