Graves Disease
Pathophysiology of Graves Disease
1) Graves disease is marked by hyperfunctioning of thyroid gland owing to stimulation by autoantibodies
2) has exacerbations and remissions
3) if untreated, leads to eventual thyroid failure
Signs and Symptoms
1) fine hair
2) muscle wasting
3) exophthalmos
4) pretibial myxedema
5) fatigue/weakness
6) palpitations/nervousness/tremor/sweating
7) diffuse goiter
8) emotional lability
9) weight loss
10) tachycardia
11) bruit and thrill over thyroid
12) some Graves disease patients can have loss of eyebrows particularly laterally in the later stages of the disease
Characteristic Test Findings
Laboratory
1) heterogenous autoantibodies to TSH receptors (some of which are IgG)
2) increased T3
3) increased T4
Nuclear Medicine
4) increased radioiodine uptake by thyroid
Histology/Gross Pathology
1) grossly symmetrical enlarged thyroid (diffuse thyroid hyperplasia)
2) cut surface is firm and beefy
3) highly vascular
4) enlargement of extraocular muscles
5) decrease of stored colloid
Associated Conditions
1) atrial fibrillation
2) pernicious anemia
3) Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
4) increased frequency of HLA-B8 and HLA-DR3 in white patients
5) increased incidence in smokers with particularly serious eye sequelae
Biochemistry
1) Type II hypersensitivity reaction
2) defect in antigen-specific suppressor T cells
3) sensitization to antigens of Yersinia enterocolitica plays a role
Inheritance/Epidemiology
1) female to male, 9:1
2) affects 2-4% of USA popul...
Source: Inside Surgery - Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
More News: Anemia | Atrial Fibrillation | Biochemistry | Blogging | Endocrinology | Epidemiology | Hemangioma | Laboratory Medicine | Men | Menopause | Pathology | Pernicious Anemia | Pregnancy | Smokers | Surgeons | Thyroid | Thyroiditis | USMLE | Weight Loss | Women | Yersinia