title: [Autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed during puerperium: evaluation 2 years later].
abstract: This is a 2 years follow-up study of seventeen women who were found to have mild goiter and post-partum thyroid disease two years earlier in order to establish if post-partum thyroid disease is a self-limited entity or the relapse of a chronic pre-existing disease. When first studied, the 17 women had thyroid dysfunction (15 with hyperthyroidism and 2 with hypothyroidism). Eight women had also elevated antimicrosomal antibodies (AMA) titers and 9 were negative for AMA. In the present study, all women were reexamined for the presence of goiter, and free thyroxine index (FT4I), TSH and AMA were determined. Mild (grade I-II, less than 30 g) goiter was found in 11 women. Six out seventeen women, still had altered functional tests (3 with hypothyroidism and 3 with hyperthyroidism). The elevated AMA titers seen in 8 patients in the first study, remained high in 6 (1:100-1:25600). None of the 9 patients who in the first study had negative AMA changed to positive titers. Results indicate that post-partum thyroid disease is not always a self-limited entity. The presence of elevated AMA titers in the initial post-partum period can express a chronic thyroid disease compromise. In these patients a longterm clinical and biochemical follow-up is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Endocrinología, Metabolismo y Nutrición Facultad de Medicina, P Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fardella
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toro
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008861:Microsomes / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies
vernacular_title: Enfermedad tiroídea autoinmune diagnosticada durante el puerperio: evaluación a dos años plazo.