title: Thyrotoxicosis due to "silent" thyroiditis.
abstract: 3 patients (2 male, 1 female) presented with symptoms of thyrotoxicosis associated with elevated blood-levels of thyroid hormone and a markedly depressed thyroidal uptake of 131-I. The male patients (aged 59 and 47) each had a cardiac arrhythmia, but did not have any thyroid pain or swelling. The female with a goitre had no discomfort in the neck. Thyrotoxicosis factitia was excluded by history. The subsequent course of their disease was typical of subacute thyroiditis. The elevated thyroid-hormone levels spontaneously fell to normal over a few weeks. In 1 patient, however, chemical hypothyroidism developed. These patients could have been diagnosed as having hyperthyroidism, rather than subacute thyroiditis, since thyroid pain--and swelling in 2 of the cases--was absent. The correct diagnosis was suspected only after finding a thyroidal uptake of 131-I near zero. The thyroidal uptake of 131-I is still important as a routine diagnostic aid in thyroid disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine