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 43 year old obese female, married, mother of 4 children was diagnosed as having hypothyroidism in the beginning of year 2011 when she felt lethargic and her TSH level was raised to 72 uIU/ml. She was started on thyroxine 150 mcg/day which was later on decreased to 100 mcg when her TSH level was suppressed to 0.5 uIU/ml after 1 month. After further 4 weeks her serum TSH came out to be further suppressed at <0.005 uIU/ml so thyroxine was stopped. The patient came for follow up after 8 weeks with serum TSH of 0.2 uIU/ml and T4 of 16.20 ng/dl (4.5-11.3). She then lost to follow up and returned in September 2011 with Thyroid function test showing serum TSH of <0.005 uIU/ml and FT4: 2.36 ng/dl. Thyroid antibodies were strongly positive. At this time she also had complained of palpitations, increased appetite, increased bowel movements, decreased sleep and tremors of hands. On examination she had no goiter and eye signs but had fine tremors of hands. She was advised to start carbimazole.