Most hyperthyroidism is caused by Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disease. Click to view: < < Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are all played by the immune system > >
Then in theory, hyperthyroidism can be cured by inhibiting inappropriate autoimmune response. This is the theoretical basis of [immunotherapy].
A search on the Internet will find that there are many kinds of [immunotherapy]. Some readers also left messages on WeChat asking whether [immunotherapy] is credible or not and whether it is effective.
Next, let’s analyze it.
What are the so-called [immunotherapy]?
1. Immune factor combination therapy
It is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine therapy, and the website claims to have the following advantages:
- Double immune repair, no recurrence after cure, 15 years of scientific research guarantee, 17 years of clinical experience, no thyroid injury, no worry about lifelong hypothyroidism
2. Hyperthyroidism immune capsule
It is a Chinese patent medicine.
3. Local injection of immunosuppressant
Immunosuppressants such as dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine are injected into thyroid tissue. These drugs are commonly used to treat hyperthyroidism exophthalmos, but are rarely directly used to treat hyperthyroidism.
Effective treatment methods must be supported by abundant scientific research data. However, searching for these treatment methods on professional medical paper search engines can only find one or two scattered research papers.
If you study these papers carefully, you will find many suspicious points.
Detailed Interpretation of [Immunotherapy] Where Not Trusted
1. Lack of research data to support
Take [immune factor combination therapy] as an example, the Internet search can only find one paper published in 2015. Where is the data for the so-called [15 years of scientific research guarantee] [17 years of clinical experience]? Where are the research results?
2. There are many defects in the research design.
These only a few research papers also have many defects in design, and the conclusions drawn are unconvincing.
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Sample size is too small
Usually only dozens to hundreds of patients participate in the study. The sample size is so small that it is easy to be interfered by various factors. The research conclusion is not representative and cannot be extended to the vast hyperthyroidism population.
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Patients receiving immunotherapy also receive routine drug therapy.
In the study of [immune factor combination therapy], participants were randomly divided into two groups, one group received immunotherapy and the other group received conventional drug therapy.
However, the researchers asked the group of patients receiving immunotherapy to take conventional drugs at the same time.
The patient’s symptoms disappeared and the nail function was normal. Is it the effect of immunotherapy or the effect of conventional drugs? Let a person silly can’t tell.
The research on [thyroid immune capsule] compares the curative effects of immune capsule and Jiakangling capsule (also a Chinese patent medicine). However, both groups of patients are taking recognized effective anti-thyroid drugs at the same time, and it is inevitable that hyperthyroidism will improve.
This is why although the treatment method is unreliable, some people have indeed relieved hyperthyroidism after immunotherapy.
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How can the curative effect be evaluated if the course of treatment is insufficient?
We know that conventional hyperthyroidism drug therapy takes at least 1.5 years. If the course of treatment is too short, it is easy to relapse.
However, in some studies, researchers only give hyperthyroidism patients routine drugs for 3 months, and then stop treatment. It is strange that the patients do not relapse. This does not mean that conventional drug therapy is less effective than immunotherapy.
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The follow-up time for observation is too short.
In some studies, researchers will observe and follow up patients for half a year. As long as there is no recurrence for half a year, it will be cured.
However, clinically, it is rare for patients to relapse six months after cure, unless the treatment is irregular and the course of treatment is not long enough.
3. The specific treatment method is kept secret.
Taking [immune factor combination therapy] as an example, the paper only says [the combination of special immune factor implantation, targeted fusion, introduction of activated particles of traditional Chinese medicine, meridian dredging therapy, etc.].
But are special immune factors and activated particles of traditional Chinese medicine what ingredients? Factor, Particle how Introduction? Targeted Melting how? All kept secret.
Scientific research papers should clearly list every step of the experiment, every reagent and every equipment, so as to convince other scholars.
4. The authenticity and credibility of the research need to be further explored.
In addition, an article mentioned that the patients who went to the hospital from 1994 to 2000 were selected as the research object, and the patients were followed up for 2 years after 7 months of immunotherapy. This means that the patients selected at the beginning of 2000 will not get the research data until the end of 2002 at least.
However, the submission time of the article was 2001, which makes people wonder whether the researchers have really observed it for 2 years. Is the paper credible or not?
There are only three magic weapons for hyperthyroidism treatment.
Whether it is a classic endocrinology textbook or the latest hyperthyroidism treatment guide, there are only three recognized treatment methods for hyperthyroidism in the world: oral drugs, iodine 131 and surgery.
In addition, there is no other treatment method that has been widely recognized by the medical profession.
Although hyperthyroidism is a benign disease, it is not simple to treat. Oral drugs have many side effects, long course of treatment and easy repetition of the disease. Iodine 131 and surgical treatment are easy to cause hypothyroidism.
Getting hyperthyroidism is really very disturbing. The so-called [rush to the doctor], patients are easily confused by the false propaganda of those immunotherapy methods on the Internet. Not only delayed the treatment, but also lost money.
Real immunotherapy is still under study.
The above-mentioned immunotherapy methods are unreliable, which does not mean that we should give up the ideal of [curing hyperthyroidism by regulating the immune system].
The medical profession has been exploring immunotherapy for hyperthyroidism. However, the research in this field is still at the stage of animal experiments. There is still a long way to go before it can be applied to human beings.
However, we should still have positive hopes. I hope our future generations can get rid of hyperthyroidism forever.