title: [Steroid therapy and course of blood sedimentation rate in de Quervain's thyroiditis].
abstract: This study presents a retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory results of 22 patients--predominantly younger women--with thyroiditis de Quervain. Diagnosis is based on clear leading symptoms like swelling and tenderness of the thyroid on pressure, swallowing with pain radiating to mandible and/or ears, fever and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Half of the patients had slight anemia, leucocytosis without shift to the left, lymphopenia and thrombocytosis. The therapy of choice was prednisone, starting with an initial dose of usually 50 mg, reduced stepwise over 3 months under control of the clinical picture and the sedimentation rate. In a third of the patients clinical symptoms of the disease that had disappeared transiently redeveloped under reduction of prednisone without increase of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Raising the dose of prednisone for a short while led to prompt disappearance of symptoms. The ESR thus supports diagnostic investigations; however, it fails as a control parameter for the course of disease under treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departement für Innere Medizin, Medizinische Poliklinik, Universitätsspital Zürich.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Niklaus-Müller
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müllhaupt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perschak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013968:Thyroiditis, Subacute / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone
vernacular_title: Steroidtherapie und BSR-Verlauf bei Thyreoiditis de Quervain.