Apathetic thyrotoxicosis secondary to atypical subacute thyroiditis. 2012

Alessia L Carluccio, and Nina K Sundaram, and Robert T Yanagisawa, and Yaron Tomer
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA. Alessia.Carluccio@mountsinai.org

OBJECTIVE To report a case of apathetic thyrotoxicosis with an etiology of subacute thyroiditis. METHODS We describe the patient's clinical findings, laboratory findings, and clinical course. RESULTS An 85-year-old woman with no history of thyroid disease presented with severe obtundation and altered mental status. Laboratory testing documented elevated free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine concentrations and a suppressed thyrotropin concentration. Thyroid antibodies were absent. A radioactive iodine study revealed severely diminished uptake, suggestive of thyroiditis. After a short course of steroids, the patient's mental status returned to baseline. Follow-up laboratory testing showed normalizing thyroid function. CONCLUSIONS Even in the absence of a history of thyroid disease, we recommend considering thyroid dysfunction in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with altered mental status, particularly in the elderly population.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D013968 Thyroiditis, Subacute Spontaneously remitting inflammatory condition of the THYROID GLAND, characterized by FEVER; MUSCLE WEAKNESS; SORE THROAT; severe thyroid PAIN; and an enlarged damaged gland containing GIANT CELLS. The disease frequently follows a viral infection. De Quervain Thyroiditis,Giant Cell Thyroiditis,Granulomatous Thyroiditis,Subacute Nonsuppurative Thyroiditis,Subacute Painful Thyroiditis,Cell Thyroiditides, Giant,Cell Thyroiditis, Giant,Giant Cell Thyroiditides,Granulomatous Thyroiditides,Nonsuppurative Thyroiditides, Subacute,Nonsuppurative Thyroiditis, Subacute,Painful Thyroiditides, Subacute,Painful Thyroiditis, Subacute,Subacute Nonsuppurative Thyroiditides,Subacute Painful Thyroiditides,Subacute Thyroiditides,Subacute Thyroiditis,Thyroiditides, Giant Cell,Thyroiditides, Granulomatous,Thyroiditides, Subacute,Thyroiditides, Subacute Nonsuppurative,Thyroiditides, Subacute Painful,Thyroiditis, De Quervain,Thyroiditis, Giant Cell,Thyroiditis, Granulomatous,Thyroiditis, Subacute Nonsuppurative,Thyroiditis, Subacute Painful
D013971 Thyrotoxicosis A hypermetabolic syndrome caused by excess THYROID HORMONES which may come from endogenous or exogenous sources. The endogenous source of hormone may be thyroid HYPERPLASIA; THYROID NEOPLASMS; or hormone-producing extrathyroidal tissue. Thyrotoxicosis is characterized by NERVOUSNESS; TACHYCARDIA; FATIGUE; WEIGHT LOSS; heat intolerance; and excessive SWEATING. Thyrotoxicoses

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