Inflammation of the atrial thyroid gland may be stable in patients with COVID-19, according to recent findings from a three-month evaluation performed at the onset of the pandemic.
In data provided by a team of Italian investigators at ENDO 2021 this weekend, about one-third of the patient population diagnosed with COVID-19 was moderate to severe during the revolution. early in Europe still showing signs of thyroid inflammation after 3 months, despite the fact that thyroid function has already normalized.
The COVID-19-induced disorder does not appear to be mediated by autoimmunity, researchers observed, thus warranting follow-up study if patients may be at risk of dysfunction. permanent thyroid.
Researchers, led by Ilaria Muller, MD, PhD, of the University of Milan, conducted a long-term follow-up study of patients to survive moderate to severe COVID-19 after hospitalization in medical units intensive at a facility in Milan. Patients examined for this study had no history of thyroid disorder and / or treatment.
Muller and colleagues evaluated patients for serum thyroid function and autoantibodies, reactive protein C (CRP), whole blood count (FBC), and thyroid ultrasound for every 3 months.
At the time of the ENDO 2021 demonstration, 53 patients were admitted to the follow-up trial. At 3 months after COVID-19 infection, all patients developed increased serum TSH serum concentrations from baseline. Serum concentrations of free-thyroxine, free0triiodothyronine, CRP, and FBC were normalized from baseline.
Negative autoantibodies to the TSH receptor were observed in all patients.
They saw atopic subacute thyroiditis in 15% of hospitalized patients for COVID-19 – a significant increase from the 1% observed with such manifestations in the same facility in the spring of 2019, prior to the pandemic.
“COVID-19-induced atrial thyroiditis is not associated with neck pain, affecting more men than women and especially those who are very ill, thus corresponding to the disease syndrome. non-thyroidal, ”researchers wrote. “Subacute thyroiditis is classically followed by chronic thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity, so we have initiated a systematic ongoing program of these patients.”
In a statement accompanying the findings, Muller stressed the importance of continuous monitoring for COVID-19 patients with such significant effects.
“It’s important to know if the SARS-CoV-2 virus has a late-onset thyroid effect, in order to quickly detect and treat the condition,” Muller said.
The study, “Early Continuation of SARS-CoV-2-Induced Thyroiditis,” was presented at ENDO 2021.