Clarifying the interpretation of subdistribution hazard ratios in competing-risk analyses: comment on Riis et al. , Eur Thyroid J. 2024;13: ETJ230181

We read with interest the article by Riis et al., 'Hyperthyroidism and the risk of non-thyroid cancer: a Danish register-based long-term follow-up study' (1).The authors are commended for their rigorous population-based design addressing a clinically relevant question in endocrine epidemiology.Their use of high-quality registries, matching, and sensitivity analyses provides valuable evidence on cancer risk after hyperthyroidism.We write to clarify a methodological aspect: the interpretation of the subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) from the Fine-Gray competing-risk model.As these methods gain traction in endocrine research, consistent terminology will help clinicians translate findings accurately.