Hashimoto Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease clinically evident in roughly 6% of the female population. In autopsy studies, as many as 20% of females may have evidence of autoimmune thyroid injury. Patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis may go through a transient stage of hyeprthyroidism, including restlessness, palpitations and muscle weakness, but eventually become hypothyroid.Presenting symptoms include fatigue, depression, hair loss, weight gain, and joint and mucle aches. Additional clinical problems may include urticarial skin rashes and rarely an encephalopathy.
The destruction of the thyroid gland occurs through the action of CD8 positive killer T cells. CD4 positive helper T cells and B cells are also identified in the thyroid glands of patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Patients have autoantibodies in their sera directed towards thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin, although the pathological significance of these autoantibodies in unclear.
The treatment of Hashimoto thyroiditis consists of replacing thyroid hormone when the patients have become hypothyroid. With adequate hormone replacement, no sequelae generally result from the disease. There is, however, an increased incidence of other autoimmune diseases in patients with Hashimoto thyroidits. SADRC-WNY has been trying to understand whether the urticaria associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis is part of the disease, or an independent autoimmune phenomenon.
Other Links to information about Hashimoto thyroiditis:
Thyroid Foundation of America: www.clark.net/pub/tfa/
American Foundation of Thyroid Patients: www.thyroidfoundation.org/