{"id":533,"date":"2019-08-13T13:33:35","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T13:33:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.barnaclinic.com\/blog\/cirugia-de-tiroides\/en\/?p=533"},"modified":"2019-10-03T13:33:59","modified_gmt":"2019-10-03T13:33:59","slug":"thyroiditis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.barnaclinic.com\/blog\/cirugia-de-tiroides\/en\/thyroiditis\/","title":{"rendered":"Thyroiditis: What is it, diagnosis and treatment options"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thyroiditis<\/strong>\u00a0is a group of\u00a0thyroid diseases<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0primarily characterised by an inflamed thyroid<\/strong>. This term encompasses a wide range of entities. From rare\u00a0acute infectious thyroiditis<\/strong>,\u00a0subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis<\/strong> or\u00a0drug-induced inflammation<\/strong>, to the more common\u00a0chronic autoimmune thyroid inflammation or Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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HASHIMOTO\u2019S THYROIDITIS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When people talk about\u00a0thyroiditis<\/strong>\u00a0in general, they are almost always referring to\u00a0chronic autoimmune thyroid inflammation<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis<\/strong>. This type of\u00a0thyroid inflammation affects 15% of the population<\/strong>, predominantly women (95%). It is caused by a rise of antibodies (Antimicrosomal Antibodies<\/em>) that attack and destroy\u00a0thyroid cells<\/strong><\/a>. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50 and has a clear genetic component. For this reason, we can say that it is a hereditary disease (>50% of first-degree relatives suffer from it).<\/p>\n

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\"Dr.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

\u201cHashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis affects 15% of the population, predominantly women (95%), and it is hereditary (>50% of first-degree relatives suffer from it)\u201d<\/h4>\n

Dr. Oscar Vidal<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

DIAGNOSIS OF HASHIMOTO\u2019S THYROIDITIS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis<\/strong>\u00a0is diagnosed by chance in 75% of cases, in a routine laboratory test or cervical examination. However,\u00a0thyroid inflammation<\/strong>\u00a0is sometimes diagnosed<\/strong>\u00a0because the patient exhibits\u00a0symptoms of hypothyroidism<\/strong><\/a>. This is true of the other 25% of\u00a0autoimmune\u00a0thyroiditis<\/strong> cases.<\/p>\n

When this disease is suspected given an\u00a0inflamed\u00a0thyroid<\/strong>, a blood test should be performed to check thyroid hormone function (which is usually normal) plus anti-thyroglobulin and anti-TPO antibodies. Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies are elevated in 60% of patients, while anti-TPO antibodies are high in >95%, which means they could be considered highly specific.<\/p>\n

Inflammation of the thyroid, thyroid nodule and multinodular goitre<\/strong><\/h5>\n

We can complete a\u00a0thyroiditis diagnosis<\/strong>\u00a0with a neck ultrasound. This test will reveal whether the patient also has a\u00a0multinodular goitre<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or an abnormality that is concomitant with his\/her disease. The ultrasound is usually normal in patients with thyroid inflammation<\/strong>,\u00a0without the presence of a\u00a0thyroid nodule<\/strong><\/a>. If nodules are present, their nature should be investigated with other tests (thyroid nodule study<\/strong><\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n

THYROIDITIS TREATMENT<\/strong><\/h2>\n