Rheumatic symptoms in autoimmune thyroiditis

Abstract

Autoimmune thyroiditis (ATD) is generally regarded as a classic example of single organ autoimmunity with a high association with endocrine thyroid disorders. However, it is closely associated with several autoimmune diseases including rheumatologic syndromes and has long been known to have several rheumatic manifestations particularly in association with hypothyroidism. More recently, it has also been implicated in rheumatologic syndromes in the absence of hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism. There is also an emerging body of evidence that ATD is highly linked to chronic generalized pain syndromes including fibromyalgia. This review examines the rheumatic symptoms of ATD described in the current literature and discusses the clinical relevance of ATD in general rheumatology.