Graves' Patient with Thymic Expression of Thyrotropin Receptors and Dynamic Changes in Thymic Hyperplasia Proportional to Graves' Disease Activity.
10.3349/ymj.2016.57.3.795
- Author:
Young Shin SONG
1
;
Jae Kyung WON
;
Mi Jeong KIM
;
Ji Hyun LEE
;
Dong Wan KIM
;
June Key CHUNG
;
Do Joon PARK
;
Young Joo PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. yjparkmd@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Reports
- Keywords:
Thymus hyperplasia;
graves disease;
receptors thyrotropin;
immunoglobulins, thyroid-stimulating
- MeSH:
Adult;
Female;
Graves Disease/*complications/surgery/therapy;
Humans;
Male;
Receptors, Thyrotropin/blood;
Thymus Gland/diagnostic imaging;
Thymus Hyperplasia/*diagnostic imaging/etiology/immunology;
Thyroid Hormones;
Thyroidectomy;
Thyrotropin/blood;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed;
Young Adult
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2016;57(3):795-798
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Thymic hyperplasia is frequently observed in Graves' disease. However, detectable massive enlargement of the thymus is rare, and the mechanism of its formation has remained elusive. This case showed dynamic changes in thymic hyperplasia on serial computed tomography images consistent with changes in serum thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R) antibodies and thyroid hormone levels. Furthermore, the patient's thymic tissues underwent immunohistochemical staining for TSH-R, which demonstrated the presence of thymic TSH-R. The correlation between serum TSH-R antibody levels and thymic hyperplasia sizes and the presence of TSH-R in her thymus suggest that TSH-R antibodies could have a pathogenic role in thymic hyperplasia.
