Should radioiodine be the first-line treatment for paediatric Graves' disease?

Background: Debate exists regarding the optimal treatment strategy for paediatric Graves' disease with radioiodine (RAI), and surgery, usually reserved for failure of medical therapy. We present our own experience to introduce a review of the published literature focussing on the predictors of remission after antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy from diagnosis, and discuss whether RAI should be considered as a first-line therapy.

Method: A retrospective analysis of all diagnosed cases of paediatric Graves' disease presenting to a large District General Hospital.