The impact of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic on the prescription of thyroid medication in Austria – A nationwide population-based registry analysis

Background Case reports indicate a clinical connection between SARS-CoV-2 and thyroid dysfunctions. However, evidence from large population-based registry analyses is sparse, especially in Europe, where iodine deficiency is common. This study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare provision for thyroid diseases in Austria. Methods We performed a retrospective, population-based registry analysis of the Austrian health insurance fund database, covering more than 9 million inhabitants. Data from all patients with prescriptions of thyroid-specific drugs and/or inpatient thyroid-related diagnoses from 2017 to 2019 (pre-pandemic years) were compared to 2020 and 2021 (pandemic years; characterized by high numbers of SARS-CoV2 infections and population-wide vaccination strategy). The incidence rates of thyroid medication prescriptions for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were calculated for every year to evaluate the impact of the pandemic. Results The incidence rate for total thyroid medication prescription was 539.07/100,000 individuals (534.23–543.93 95%CI) in 2018 and declined during the pandemic (2020: 387.19/100,000 (383.12–391.29 95%CI); 2021: 336.90/100,000 (333.11–340.73 95%CI)). Similarly, the incidence rate for levothyroxine prescription was higher pre-pandemic (2018: 465.46/100,000 (460.97–469.98 95%CI) and declined during the pandemic (2020: 348.14/100,000 (344.28–352.03 95%CI); 2021: 300.30/100,000 (296.7–303.91 95%CI). The incidence rates of thiamazole prescriptions (2018: 10.24/100,000 (9.58–10.93 95%CI); 2020: 8.62/100,000 (8.03–9.26 95%CI); 2021: 11.17/100,000 (10.49–11.89 95%CI) were stable. Conclusions These findings suggest no clinically significant impact of SARS-CoV2 and/or vaccination on thyroid function at a population level.