SOME NEW OBSERVATIONS ON SUBACUTE THYROIDITIS*

Abstract

A significant normochromic normocytic anemia was seen in 11 (16.7%) of 66 patients with subacute thyroiditis. The diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis may be obscured by asymptomatic goiter, the occurrence of minimal or no febrile symptoms (as seen in 2 patients in whom the diagnosis was proved by the results of needle biopsy), and the concurrence of anemia (as also observed in 1 of the 2 patients with few or no febrile symptoms). Four units of TSH failed to increase the low or low-normal thyroidal I131 uptake significantly in 10 of 12 patients with subacute thyroiditis, in contrast to the significant increase noted in control euthyroid patients. Determination of electrophoretic protein patterns showed a moderate decrease in albumin in 5 of 6 patients, a slight increase in gamma globulin 2 of 6 patients, and an increase in alpha and beta globulins in 1 patient with subacute thyroiditis. Prednisone is as effective as cortisone in controlling the symptoms and signs of subacute thyroiditis and has the advantage of not causing edema.