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The management of thyroid disease by GPs.

BACKGROUND
Good medical practice depends on a collaborative relationship between a GP and a targeted specialist.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to assess knowledge and management by GPs of common endocrine disorders such as thyroid diseases.


METHODS
We submitted to all the GPs (622) of the Province of Lecce an anonymous questionnaire with 11 questions which aimed to evaluate methods of approach to (questions 1 and 2) and knowledge about (questions 3-11) thyroid diseases.


RESULTS
(i) Most GPs (72.1%) evaluate thyroid function on the basis of a clinical suspicion and perform preliminary investigations before referring the patient to a specialist. (ii) The ratio between right and wrong answers was significantly higher for four questions, significantly lower for one question and distributed by chance for four questions. (iii) The degree of knowledge strictly corresponds to the GP's attitude to patient's management.


CONCLUSIONS
For a thyropathic patient to be diagnosed rapidly and treated efficiently, it is necessary to disseminate knowledge of standardized protocols to ensure a better utilization by both the GP and the endocrinologist of their respective competences.