A 60-year-old lady, presented with tremulousness of hands for 1 month and palpitation with excessive sweating for 3 months. She had a history of weight loss for 6 months, and gradually enlarging neck swelling for 3 years. She was nervous, irritable, and emotionally labile. Her weight was 46 kg, BMI 17, afebrile, pulse rate: 110/min/regular, blood pressure: 140/56 mm of Hg. Her thyroid gland was symmetrically enlarged, firm in consistency, nodular/lobular surface and mildly tender without any bruit. Palms were warm and sweaty with fine tremor in hands. All reflexes were exaggerated. There were no occular manifestations.\nInitial thyroid function tests (TFT) revealed high T3: 3.80 ng/ml (0.80-2.10), T4: 12.40 ug/dl (5.10-12) with a low TSH: 0.20 mU/L (0.70-5). Her TSH receptor antibody (TSAb): 25 U/L (Normal [nl.] <1), anti TPO antibody: 374 IU/ml (nl. <35) and thyroglobulin antibody: 268 IU/ml (nl. <65) were all strongly positive. Complete hemogram and ESR-18 mm/h (nl.-1-25) were normal. Ultrasonogram of thyroid revealed an enlarged gland with hypoechoic parenchyma with fibrous septa.99mTc pertechnetate scan (Tc99m scan) revealed enlarged thyroid gland with diffusely increased uptake of radiocontrast: 17% (nl. 0.4-4%) with some patchy defects in both lower poles. Thyroid FNAC showed sheets of Hurthle cells with abdunce of lymphocytes and sheets of regular follicular cells, indicating HT. She was observed on beta blockers. Repeat TFT, 3 months later showed: T3: 4.20 ng/ml, T4: 14.40 ug/dl, TSH: 0.001 μU. Repeat 99mTc pertechnetate scan was done, which again revealed enlarged thyroid gland with diffusely increased uptake of radiocontrast: 21% (nl. 0.4-4%) with same patchy defects in both lower poles. Antithyroid medication carbimazole was started.
A 36 years old female presented with a 3 months history of easy fatigability, cold intolerance, polymenorrhagia, constipation and weight gain in the beginning of year 2005. On examination she had bradycardia and dry skin. The thyroid gland was palpable, non-tender mostly diffuse but some nodular feeling at upper pole of left lobe. Clinical suspicion of primary hypothyroidism was made and it was confirmed by TSH value of greater than 50 uIU/ml with FT4 of less than 0.30 ng/dl and positive thyroid antibodies. Thyroxine was started at a dose of 100 mcg/day. Gradually the requirement of thyroxine decreased and by the end of 2005 onwards she maintained her TSH within normal range on 50 mcg/day of thyroxine. In the beginning of 2008 the dose was further reduced to 25 mcg/day but again towards the end of 2009 thyroxine dose was increased to 50 mcg/day because of slightly increased TSH of 8.86 uIU/ml. Slightly more than a year later in the beginning of 2011, she presented with weight loss of 3 kg with a feeling of anxiety and associated tremors of hands. TSH at this time was less than 0.005 uIU/ml with a FT4 of 2.4 ng/dl, confirming the state of thyrotoxicosis. Thyroxine was stopped and patient was observed intermittently over a period of 6 months. She remained clinically and biochemically hyperthyroid with a repeat TSH of <0.005 uIU/ml and an FT4 of 2.66 ng/dl. Thyroid scintigraphy with technetium 99 was done and it showed an increased homogenous tracer uptake. Finally she was started on Neomercazole in mid of 2011and remains on it till to date.