CLINICAL THYROIDOLOGY FOR PATIENTS Summaries for Patients from Clinical Thyroidology (August 2011) AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISEASE ABBREVIATIONS & DEFINITIONS Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It is caused by antibodies that attack the thyroid and destroy the gland. Graves’ Disease: the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. It is caused by antibodies that attack the thyroid and turn it on. Antibodies: proteins that are produced by the body’s immune cells that attack and destroy bacteria and viruses that cause infections. Occasionally the antibodies get confused and attack the body’s own tissues, causing autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disorders: a diverse group of disorders that are caused by antibodies that get confused and attack the body’s own tissues. The disorder depends on what tissue the antibodies attack. Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are examples of autoimmune thyroid disease. Other autoimmune disorders include: type 1 diabetes mellitus, Addison’s disease (adrenal insufficiency), vitiligo (loss of pigment of some areas of the skin), systemic lupus erythematosus, pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency), celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Type 1 Diabetes: diabetes caused by antibodies that destroy the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. Patients with this form of diabetes require insulin to control their blood sugar. Addison’s Disease/Adrenal Insufficiency: a rare, chronic endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands are destroyed by antibodies and do not produce enough steroid hormones (glucocorticoids and often mineralocorticoids). Celiac Disease: an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward. Pernicious Anemia/B12 Deficiency: caused by antibodies that destroy the cells in the stomach that produce a protein that is needed for the body to absorb vitamin B12, causing a severe anemia (low blood count). BACKGROUND THE FULL ARTICLE TITLE: SUMMARY OF THE STUDY WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY? —Heather Hofflich, DO ATA THYROID BROCHURE LINKS Thyroiditis: http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/thyroiditis.html Table of Contents | PDF File for Saving and Printing Can Graves disease become Hashimoto's?Hashimoto's thyroiditis following Graves' hyperthyroidism can occur, due to the expansion of autoantibody generation from TSH receptor initially to TPO subsequently,9 and change in balance between TSAb and TBAb.
How do you diagnose Hashimoto's or Graves disease?Laboratory Testing
Hashimoto thyroiditis is the most likely form of autoimmune thyroiditis if the patient has hypothyroidism (elevated TSH and low free T4 concentrations), whereas Graves disease is most likely if the patient has hyperthyroidism (low TSH and elevated free T4 concentrations).
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