OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of subacute thyroiditis (SAT) patients at the Theptarin Hospital Thyroid Clinic. Methodology. A retrospective review of medical records of SAT patients in the Theptarin Hospital from January 2007 to December 2013 was conducted. Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, modes of treatment and complications were recorded.

RESULTS: From January 2007 to December 2013, SAT was diagnosed in 149 patients, with the occurrence of SAT peaking in October and November. Of 115 patients who had complete follow-up data, mean age was 43.8±10.8 years, 88.7% were women, and SAT was preceded by an upper respiratory tract infection in 68.7%. Oral prednisolone was given in 83 cases (72.2%) at a median starting dose of 30 mg/day and was continued for a median duration of 49 days. Recurrence of SAT during the tapering period of oral prednisolone was observed in 12% of patients, resulting in reinitiation of steroid in 13% of patients for late recurrence. Transient and permanent hypothyroidism developed in 6.1% and 8.7% of patients respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: SAT in Thai patients showed seasonal clustering during October and November. Recurrences of SAT were common in the course of steroid treatment. SAT patients require careful follow-up during steroid treatment and long-term surveillance for thyroid dysfunction.
Thyroiditis, Subacute

Subacute thyroiditis is a spontaneously resolving inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland, which is usually associated with a viral infection and genetic factors. In some cases of this disorder, thyroid autoantibodies can appear, probably due to the inflammatory release of thyroid antigens, althoughtheir pathophysiological role in the course of this disease is not yet fully understood. The occurrence of Graves' disease after subacute thyroiditis is extremely rare, and only a few cases have been reported. Here, we report a case of a middle-aged woman who developed Graves' disease after subacute thyroiditis.
Autoantibodies ; Female ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute

Lymphoid infiltration can be seen in some lesions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, subacute thyroiditis and several neoplasm of the thyroid. In case of malignancy, there are a few reports of lymphoid infiltration in the diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary carcinoma. But heavy lymphoid infiltraton without evidence of sclerosis is uncommon. We experienced a case of papillary oxyphilic carcinoma with massive lymphoid infiltration, which looks like Warthin tumor of salivary gland. However cytological feature of epithelial cells exhibit that of papillary carcinoma.
Adenolymphoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Epithelial Cells ; Lymphocytes* ; Salivary Glands ; Sclerosis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute

Background: Subacute thyroiditis is a spontaneously resolving inflammatory disorder of thyroid gland, usually associated with painful goiter and short-lived thyrotoxicosis. Although its etiology is yet to be established, much evidence suggests viral infections and genetic factors play important roles. Usually, both lobes of thyroid gland are involved simultaneously, but in some patients one lobe is involved first and the other later(creeping thyroiditis), Thyroid autoantibodies which might appear probably due to inflammatory release of thyroid antigens, are found in a variable number of patients with subacute thyroiditis. However there have been few detailed reports on their incidence in Korean patients with subacute thyroiditis. So, we were to see the elinical characteristics of patients with subacute thyroiditis with special regards to the incidence of thyroid autoantibodies and to the incidence and characteristics of creeping thyroiditis, Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 85 patients with subacute thyroiditis(7 men and 78 wornen, meam age of 43+9 years) who had visited the thyroid clinic in Seoul National University Hospital between 1986 and 1994. Results: At initial visit, the incidenees of thyroid autoantibodies were as follows: anti- microsomal antibody 7.8%, anti-thyroglobulin antibody 22.1%, and thyratropin binding inhibitor inununglobulin 6.3%. During the follow-up period, thyroid autoantibodies appeared most frequently between the first and the second month after initial visit. Compared to those with non-creeping thyroiditis, the patients with creeping thyroiditis(21.4%) had nonspecific systemic sy~rnptoms more frequently(89% vs. 42%, p<0.05). They required steroid therapy more ftequently(89% vs. 52%, p <0.05), and needed longer duration of treatment(9.3+6.2weeks vs, 4.7+3.7weeks, p<0.05). The incidence of abnormalities in liver function and the incidence of thyroid autoantibodies were higher in non-creeping thyroiditis group. Conclusion: In accordance with previous reports, thyroid autoantibodies were detected in only a small portion of Korean patients with subacute thyroiditis. Rather different clinical manifestations and different incidences of thyroid autoantibodies between ereeping group and non-creeping group suggest differences in the pathogenetic mechanisms between those two groups. However, there is need for further study to validate such observation and to elucidate the mechanisms.
Autoantibodies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Goiter ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver ; Male ; Seoul ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Thyrotoxicosis

The authors analyzed ultrasonographically the total 45 cases of thyroid disease verified by historicaldiagnosis, functional diagnosis, and morphological diagnosis at the Departement of Radiology, Busan NationalUniversity hospital from June to Sept. 1982. The resuls obtained were as follows; 1. In the sex distributionfemale was 38 cases (84.4%), and male 7 cases (15.6%). 2. Among the total 4 cases thyroid adenoma was 24 cases(53.3%), nodular hyperplasia 8 cases (17.7%), thyroid carcinoma 7 cases (15.6%), diffuse hyperplasia 3 cases(6.7%), Hanshimoto's thyroiditis 1 cases (2.2%), subacute thyroiditis 1 cases(2.2%), tuberculous thyroiditis 1cases(2.2%) in orders. 3. On ultrasonogram, total 24 cases of thyroid adenoma showed a single nodule in 24 cases(100.0%), smooth outer margin in 23 cases (95.8%), capsular echo in 23 cases (95.8%), pure cystic nodule in 4cases (16.7%), and increased echogenicity in 17 cases (85.0%) among the 20 cases excluded the pure cystic nodules.4. Total 7 cases of thyroid carcinoma showed no capsular echo in 4 cases (57.1%), irregular outer margine in 4cases(57.1%), no pure cytic nodule in all cases, and enlargement of metastatic lymphnode in 4 cases (57.1%). 5.Total 8 cases of nodular hyperplasia showed enlargement of thyroid gland and multiple nodule in 8 cases (100.0%),and increased echogenicity in 7 cases (87.5%). 6. Total 3 cases of diffuse hyperplasia showed enlargement ofthyroid gland and increased echogenicity in 3 cases (100.0%). 7. Total 3 cases of thyroiditis showed decreasedechogenicity in 3 cases (100.0%) and enlargement of thyroid gland in 2 cases (66.7%). 8. The cold area visualizedon radionuclide scan could be differentiated from a solid mass and cystic one by utrasonogram.
Busan ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Male ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Ultrasonography

To assess the pharyngeal presentations and the diagnostic value of thyroid SPECT and thyroid fine needle aspiratory biopsy (FNAB) in subacute thyroiditis (SAT) as seen initially in ENT department, 30 patients, during the course of SAT, were examined for pharyngeal symptoms and tested for serum T3, T4 level. The thyroid SPECT imaging or thyroid FNAB were performed. Our results showed that, of the 30 patients, 21 had sore throat of various degrees, and 9 had abnormal sensation of throat. Six were diagnosed as having SAT by only SPECT, in the remaining 24, the final diagnoses was established by SPECT combined with FNAB. Two of them were finally diagnosed as having SAT by trial treatment with oral prednisone. It is concluded that sore throat and abnormal sensation of pharynx are the important presentations of SAT, and thyroid SPECT imaging and thyroid FNAB are valuable in diagnosing SAT.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Pharyngeal Diseases/diagnosis ; Pharyngitis/diagnosis ; Thyroid Gland/*radionuclide imaging ; Thyroiditis, Subacute/*diagnosis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute/radionuclide imaging ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Amyloid deposition in the thyroid is found in about 30-80% of the patients with primary or secondary amyloidosis. In a few patients with amyloidosis, the thyroid is enlarged and so called amyloid goiter occurs. The thyroid function usually remains normal, but occasionally hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis occurs in patients with thyroid amyloidosis. We have experienced one case of thyroid amyloidosis due to bronchiectasis and the patient developed painful goiter and transient thyrotoxicosis resembling subacute thyroiditis. Biopsies from the gastric antrum, duodenum, colon, kidney and thyroid were positive for deposition of amyloid. When patients have signs and symptoms of subacute thyroiditis, but they develop an unusual course, then the diagnosis of thyroid amyloidosis should be considered.
Amyloid ; Amyloidosis ; Biopsy ; Bronchiectasis ; Colon ; Duodenum ; Goiter ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Kidney ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Pyloric Antrum ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Thyrotoxicosis

Riedel's thyroiditis is a rare form of chronic thyroiditis, characterized by a fibroinflammatory process which partially destroys the thyroid, often involving surrounding tissues. The relationship of Riedel's thyroiditis to other forms of thyroiditis is not clear. A case of Riedel's thyroiditis in a 51-year-old female patient, admitted with a previous diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis, is reported. She was first diagnosed with subacute thyroiditis based on clinical manifestation and radiologic and laboratory results. She was treated with glucocorticoid for 8 weeks. The follow-up lasted for 12 months. However, three years later she underwent a thyroidectomy operation due to an enlargement of the thyroid nodule and suspicion of malignancy. Histopathologic examination confirmed that she had Riedel's Thyroiditis. Until now, few case of Riedel's thyroiditis in patients with a history of subacute thyroiditis have been reported in the literature. Although the etiology of Riedel's thyroiditis is unknown, it may develop in the course of subacute thyroiditis.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis* ; Thyroiditis, Subacute*

The most common cause of thyrotoxicosis is Graves' disease, followed by toxic adenoma, multiple nodular toxic goiter, and temporary thyroiditis. At initial presentation, however, it is often difficult to recognizinge subacute thyroiditis as a thyroid disease is often difficult. In many cases, subacute thyroiditis may be mistaken for certain upper respiratory infectious diseases, due to their similar clinical manifestations. Additionally, when subacute thyroiditis coexists with a thyroid nodule or is accompanied by severe thyrotoxicosis, it can be misdiagnosed as a thyroid tumor, toxic adenoma, or Graves' disease. Here we report the case of an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule combined with subacute thyroiditis, which was nearly misdiagnosed as toxic adenoma. This is the first reported case in Korea of a patient who had an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule combined with subacute thyroiditis, which was nearly misdiagnosed as toxic adenoma.
Adenoma ; Communicable Diseases ; Goiter ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Korea ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Thyrotoxicosis

Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST) is a rare condition, as the thyroid gland is relatively resistant to infection. Thyroid function tests are usually normal in AST. A few cases of AST associated with thyrotoxicosis have been reported in adults. We report a case of AST that was associated with thyrotoxicosis in a 70-year-old woman. We diagnosed AST with thyroid ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration of pus. The patient improved after surgical intervention and had no anatomical abnormality. Fine needle aspiration is the best method for the difficult task of differentiating malignancy and subacute thyroiditis from AST with thyrotoxicosis. Earlier diagnosis and proper treatment for AST might improve the outcome.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Female ; Humans ; Suppuration ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; Thyroiditis, Suppurative ; Thyrotoxicosis