Clinical profile of patients with Hashimotos thyroiditis

Abstract

Autoimmune responses against specific antigens are primary determinants in thyroid autoimmunity. Other molecular mechanisms including cell apoptosis may play a role in determining the opposite phenotypic outcomes of AITD such as thyroid destruction in HT and thyroid hyperplasia in GD. T-helper lymphocytes produce cytokines that influence both immune and target cells at several levels. 100 consecutive patients with diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis were included in this study. Detailed clinical history and physical examination of the patients was done. Suspected patients were subjected to thyroid function test, FNAC, USG neck. The diagnosis was confirmed with serology. Age of the patients varied between 12yrs. The mean age of the patients in this study was 39 yrs. Of all the patients with Hashimotos thyroiditis, 6 patients were male and 94 patients were female. The maximum number of patients presented with lethargy, weakness and other non-specific features of hypothyroidism a significant cohort resented with menorrhagia as their chief complaint about 9% patients had goiter and 06 of them also had pressure symptoms.