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Tireoidite subaguda

Last reviewed: 12 Jul 2025
Last updated: 24 Jan 2023

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • dor cervical
  • tireoide sensível à palpação, firme e aumentada
  • febre
  • palpitações
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • infecção viral recente
  • mialgia
  • mal-estar
  • tremor
  • intolerância ao calor
Full details

Risk factors

  • infecção viral
  • Determinados alelos de HLA e B35
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • hormônio estimulante da tireoide (TSH) sérico
  • nível sérico de T4 total, T3 total, T3 livre, índice de T4 livre e T4 livre
  • proporção T3:T4
  • captação de iodo radioativo
  • Velocidade de hemossedimentação (VHS) sérica
  • Proteína C-reativa sérica
  • Anticorpos antitireoide séricos (anticorpos antitireoperoxidase [TPO Ab])
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • biópsia por aspiração com agulha fina
  • hemograma completo
Full details

Emerging tests

  • ultrassonografia da tireoide

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

fase de hipertireoidismo (tireotóxica)

fase hipotireoidiana

Contributors

Authors

Angela M. Leung, MD, MSc

Associate Professor of Medicine

UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Los Angeles

CA

Disclosures

AL has served on the board of directors of the American Thyroid Association. She is editor-in-chief of Clinical Thyroidology, a journal of the American Thyroid Association. AL is a speaker for Medical Education Resources and MCE Conferences. She has consulted for Vertice Pharma and received article process charges paid by IBSA Institut Biochimique for an invited review article. AL has lectured at a conference sponsored by Merck and presented educational content for the Endocrine Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. AL is an advisor to Medscape and has received research funding from the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs.

Acknowledgements

Dr Angela M. Leung would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Stephanie L. Lee, the previous contributor to this topic.

Disclosures

SLL declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Georg Hennemann, MD

Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology

Medical Center Spijkenisse

The Hague

The Netherlands

Disclosures

Not disclosed.

Ronald Merrell, MD

Professor of Surgery

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

VA

Disclosures

RM declares that he has no competing interests.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Nishihara E, Ohye H, Amino N, et al. Clinical characteristics of 852 patients with subacute thyroiditis before treatment. Intern Med. 2008;47(8):725-9. Abstract

Stasiak M, Lewiński A. New aspects in the pathogenesis and management of subacute thyroiditis. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2021 Dec;22(4):1027-39.Full text  Abstract

Ross DS, Burch HB, Cooper DS, et al. 2016 American Thyroid Association guidelines for diagnosis and management of hyperthyroidism and other causes of thyrotoxicosis. Thyroid. 2016 Oct;26(10):1343-421.Full text  Abstract

Alexander EK, Pearce EN, Brent GA, et al. 2017 guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and the postpartum. Thyroid. 2017 Mar;27(3):315-89.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Tireoidite subaguda images
  • Differentials

    • Doença de Graves
    • Tireoidite infecciosa, supurativa ou aguda
    • Bócio multinodular tóxico
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  • Guidelines

    • Thyroid disease: assessment and management
    • 2017 guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease during pregnancy and the postpartum
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Hipotireoidismo

    More Patient information
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