The diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is placed on the basis of a clinical picture and laboratory data. The titer of antibodies in the blood to the tissues of the gland and the presence in the family of autoimmune disease speaks in favor of autoimmune thyroiditis. Specific therapy at the moment does not exist, treatment is carried out by symptomatic means.
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Methods for the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis
The diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis is based on the main symptoms of the disease and data of laboratory research. Availability among other family members of autoimmune diseases confirms the possibility of autoimmune thyroiditis. With a laboratory study, the presence of antibodies to various components (tyroglobulin, peroxidase, second colloidal antigen, thyroidism, thyroidines, antibodies to thyroid hormones, etc.) thyroid gland. Laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune thyroiditis also includes, in addition to the definition of general and free triiodothyronine and thyroxine, determining the level of thyrotropic hormone in serum, when its clinical symptoms and signs are still missing.
If there are basic symptoms of the disease, the possibility of malignant rebirth of the thyroid gland (the development of nodal education) is significantly increased. For diagnostics requires a thin game biopsy. The presence of thyrotoxicosis phenomena in the patient also does not exclude the possibility of malignant rebirth of the thyroid gland. Autoimmune thyroiditis more often has a benign flow. Limphomas of the thyroid gland are extremely rarely found. Sonography or ultrasound study of the thyroid gland allows you to determine the increase or decrease in its size. Such symptoms also occur with diffuse toxic goiter, therefore, according to ultrasound, it is impossible to diagnose.
Methods for the treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis
Specific therapy of autoimmune thyroiditis does not exist. At the thyrotoxic phase of autoimmune thyroiditis, symptomatic means are used. In phenomena of hypothyroidism, drugs of thyroid hormones are prescribed, for example, L-thyroxine. The appointment of thyroid drugs, especially in elderly people, which, as a rule, have ischemic heart disease, it is necessary to start with small doses, increasing every 2.5-3 to normalization of the state. Control of the level of thyllropic hormone in serum is no more often than after 1.5-2 months.
Glucocorticoids (prednisone) are prescribed only with a combination of autoimmune thyroiditis with subacute thyroiditis, which is often found in the autumn-winter period. Cases are described when women suffering from autoimmune thyroiditis with hypothyroidism phenomena, spontaneous remission was observed during pregnancy. On the other hand, there are observations when the patient with autoimmune thyroiditis, which, before and during pregnancy, there was a euticoid state, after childbirth, the phenomena of hypothyroidism developed.
With the hypertrophic form of autoimmune thyroiditis and the expressed phenomenon of the compression of the mediastinal organs of increased thyroid gland, surgical treatment is recommended. Surgical operation is also shown in cases where a long-term moderate increase in the thyroid gland begins to quickly progress in the amount (sizes).
Forecast of the disease
The disease tends to slow progression. In some cases, satisfactory well-being and performance of patients persist for 15-18 years, despite the short-term exacerbations. During the exacerbation of thyroiditis, the phenomena of minor thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism may be observed; The latter is more common after delivery.
