Chronic (autoimmune) thyroiditis

'Chronic thyroiditis' (chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, etc.) is chronic autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, but it may not develop in all cases.

Epidemiology[edit | edit source]

A common disease, it occurs in about 5% of the population with a predominance of women (4: 1).

Etiopathogenesis[edit | edit source]

The etiology is unknown, the production of antibodies and the sensitization of lymphocytes by thyroid antigen are involved in the pathogenesis.

Clinical picture[edit | edit source]

It usually takes place completely asymptomatically for a long time. Hypothyroidism is the most important clinical set of symptoms. In the initial phase, " diffuse goiter '(mostly painless) may occur, but in the subsequent phase, the thyroid gland usually shrinks (' atrophy ' ).