title: Telangiectasia as a presenting sign of Graves' disease.
abstract: Acquired nevoid telangiectasia (ANT) is observed in several conditions including primary cutaneous disorders, systemic autoimmune disease and hyperestrogenism occurring in puberty, pregnancy and chronic liver disease. We describe a patient in whom ANT was a presenting sign of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, which improved after thyroidectomy. A 43-year-old Caucasian woman experienced an asymptomatic development of multiple widespread red skin lesions, diagnosed to be ANT. Blood tests revealed increased serum levels of free tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine and suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone. Other causes of ANT were excluded. ANT improved but did not disappear after thyroidectomy. The possible pathogenetic factors linking ANT and Graves' disease, such as an immune-mediated process, altered estrogen metabolism or vasodilatation associated with hyperdynamic circulation, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology and Hepatology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casadio
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirici-Cappa
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cacciari
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trevisani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000209:etiology*