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Hyperthyroidism is prevalent in 0.1–2.5% of the population, and Graves’ disease is diagnosed in 80% of patients with hyperthyroidism.1,2 This condition arises from the uncontrolled, excessive activation of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor by autoreactive TSH-receptor antibodies.2 Elevated thyroid hormones in hyperthyroidism result in a hyperdynamic circulatory state, leading to an increase in cardiac contractility, resting heart […]

Thyroid nodules are common worldwide, and their prevalence is increasing. Most nodules are asymptomatic and detected incidentally on cross-sectional imaging or physical examination. In rare cases (10–15%), nodules are malignant and require diagnostic evaluation. Even malignant nodules frequently show non-aggressive behaviour.1 The increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer is unfairly distributed globally, and the […]

Alopecia is a dermatological disorder characterized by hair loss from the scalp or body.1–3 It is one of the most common dermatological disorders worldwide and has several aetiologies, such as hereditary background, hormonal imbalance, infection or idiopathic causes.1,3,4 Alopecia can be classified into two main categories: scarring (or cicatricial) alopecia and non-scarring (non-cicatricial) alopecia (Figure 1).1–3 Scarring […]

Thyrotoxicosis refers to the signs and symptoms derived from excess circulating thyroid hormones in the body,1 which must be differentiated from hyperthyroidism, in which there is an increase in the synthesis and secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland.2 Approximately 1% of patients with thyrotoxicosis develop thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy (TCM), which is a rare but potentially lethal form […]

Current evidence indicates cardio‐metabolic effects from antithyroid drugs and other definitive treatment options for hyperthyroidism. The EGRET study aimed to assess the differences in mortality and cardiometabolic outcomes depending on the method of treatment in order to better inform patient‐clinician decision‐making. In this touchENDOCRINOLOGY interview, Prof. Kristien Boelaert (University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom) discusses […]

Hyperthyroidism, also called overactive thyroid, occurs when your thyroid gland overproduces thyroid hormones. In this touchENDOCRINOLOGY interview, Prof. Kristien Boelaert (University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom) discusses the challenges faced in the long term treatment of hyperthyroidism. The abstract entitled: ‘LONG‐TERM MORTALITY AND CARDIOMETABOLIC EFFECTS OF TREATMENT FOR HYPERTHYROIDISM: EGRET STUDY‘ was presented at the American […]

On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of several cases of pneumonia of unknown aetiology in Wuhan, China. After a relatively short period, officials confirmed the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported outside of China, in Thailand, on 13 January 2020.1 From the start of the pandemic to 11 November […]

Immune checkpoints are small molecules that are present on the cell surface of T lymphocytes to regulate the immune response. While some of these molecules enhance the stimulatory signals, others boost the inhibitory signals to blunt the activity of T lymphocytes (intrinsic down-regulators of immunity).1 The stimulatory checkpoints include CD28 – a family of receptors […]

Hyperthyroidism is associated with neurological symptoms, such as tremor and muscle weakness, but chorea is rare and occurs in less than 2% of patients.1 Chorea is rarely seen at presentation in Graves’ disease, and more commonly occurs with streptococcal infection. Acute rheumatic fever is a well-known sequela of streptococcal pharyngitis that is diagnosed based on the […]