SUBACUTE GRANULOMATOUS THYROIDITIS: A REVIEW

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Subacute thyroiditis occurs in about 1.4% of all cases hospitalized or operated on for a thyroid disorder. The pathogenesis is unknown. It may be caused by a virus which invades the thyroid from the respiratory tract. More recently, evidence has accumulated that at least some cases of thyroiditis are produced by an autoimmune mechanism. The onset is acute with fever and a painful tender nodular swelling over one lobe of the thyroid. Symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism are common in the acute stage. Signs of myxedema may appear late if the course is protracted. Permanent alterations of thyroid function are rare. In the acute stage, the uptake of radioactive iodine is markedly decreased, while the protein bound iodine is elevated. The basal metabolic rate is usually increased. Many patients show a moderate anemia in the acute stage. The disease is self-limited. However, the rather prolonged course can be shortened considerably by X-ray therapy or the use of adrenocortical steroids. Thyroid stimulating hormone of the pituitary improves the clinical condition and elevates the abnormally low radioactive iodine uptake. Antibiotics, iodine and antithyroid drugs are ineffective.

This publication has 54 references indexed in Scilit: