COVID-19-related thyroid conditions (Review)

Exp Ther Med. 2021 Jul;22(1):756. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10188. Epub 2021 May 13.ABSTRACTIn patients who were not previously diagnosed with any thyroid conditions, the scenario of COVID-19-related anomalies of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axes may include either: A process of central thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) disturbances via virus-related hypophysitis; an atypical type of subacute thyroiditis which is connected to the virus spread or to excessive cytokine production including a destructive process with irreversible damage of the gland or low T3 (triiodothyronine) syndrome (so called non-thyroid illness syndrome) which is not specifically related to the COVID-19 infection, but which is associated with a very severe illness status. Our objective here was to briefly review thyroid changes due to the COVID-19 infection. Ongoing assessment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will reveal more information on coronavirus-induced thyroid conditions. Routine thyroid assays performed in patients with severe infection/at acute phase of COVID-19 are encouraged in order to detect thyrotoxicosis. After recovery, thyroid function should be assessed to identify potential hypothyroidism. There remain unanswered questions related to the prognostic value of interleukin-6 in infected patients, especially in cases with cytokine storm, and the necessity of thyroid hormone replacement in subjects with hypophysitis-related central hypothyroidism.PMID:34035853 | PMC:PMC8135141 | DOI:...
Source: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Source Type: research