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A COVID-19 Infection Can Trigger Graves’ disease

November 10, 2023

A new case study highlights an 81-year-old male who developed Graves’ disease and thyroid storm one week after a COVID-19 diagnosis. A thyroid storm is a rare but severe and life-threatening complication of hyperthyroidism that occurs when overactive thyroid activity leads to hypermetabolism and can result in death from cardiac arrest or multiple organ failure.

The patient, with no history of autoimmune or thyroid conditions, presented with symptoms such as palpitations, tremors, and diarrhea. The diagnosis was confirmed through a Burch-Wartofsky score of 45 and thyroid studies. Treatment involved hydrocortisone, cholestyramine, potassium, and propylthiouracil, resulting in symptom resolution and improved thyroid studies.

This case adds to the somewhat limited reports linking COVID-19 to new-onset Graves’ disease (1) (2) (3) (4) (5), emphasizing the need for recognizing and promptly treating autoimmune effects post-COVID-19 infection to prevent severe complications.

Citations for report:

Barajas Galindo, D. E., Ramos Bachiller, B., González Roza, L., García Ruiz de Morales, J. M., Sánchez Lasheras, F., González Arnáiz, E., Ariadel Cobo, D., Ballesteros Pomar, M. D., & Rodríguez, I. C. (2023). Increased incidence of Graves’ disease during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Clinical endocrinology, 98(5), 730–737. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.14860

Geslot, A., Chanson, P., & Caron, P. (2022). Covid-19, the thyroid and the pituitary – The real state of play. Annales d’endocrinologie, 83(2), 103–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ando.2021.12.004

Ghareebian, H., & Mariash, C. (2022). COVID-19-Induced Graves’ Disease. Cureus, 14(2), e22260. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.22260

Shermetaro, A., & Bushman, J. (2023). New-Onset Graves’ Disease With Thyroid Storm After COVID-19 Infection. Cureus, 15(10), e47995. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.47995

Sullivan, K., Helgeson, J., & McGowan, A. (2021). COVID-19 Associated Thyroid Storm: A Case Report. Clinical practice and cases in emergency medicine, 5(4), 412–414. https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2021.5.52692

Yazdanpanah, N., & Rezaei, N. (2022). Autoimmune complications of COVID-19. Journal of medical virology, 94(1), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27292





Sources

  1. Article Sources and Footnotes

    1. Barajas Galindo, D. E., Ramos Bachiller, B., González Roza, L., García Ruiz de Morales, J. M., Sánchez Lasheras, F., González Arnáiz, E., Ariadel Cobo, D., Ballesteros Pomar, M. D., & Rodríguez, I. C. (2023). Increased incidence of Graves’ disease during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Clinical endocrinology, 98(5), 730–737. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.14860

    2. Geslot, A., Chanson, P., & Caron, P. (2022). Covid-19, the thyroid and the pituitary – The real state of play. Annales d’endocrinologie, 83(2), 103–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ando.2021.12.004

    3. Ghareebian, H., & Mariash, C. (2022). COVID-19-Induced Graves’ Disease. Cureus, 14(2), e22260. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.22260

    4. Shermetaro, A., & Bushman, J. (2023). New-Onset Graves’ Disease With Thyroid Storm After COVID-19 Infection. Cureus, 15(10), e47995. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.47995

    5. Sullivan, K., Helgeson, J., & McGowan, A. (2021). COVID-19 Associated Thyroid Storm: A Case Report. Clinical practice and cases in emergency medicine, 5(4), 412–414. https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2021.5.52692

    6. Yazdanpanah, N., & Rezaei, N. (2022). Autoimmune complications of COVID-19. Journal of medical virology, 94(1), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27292