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. 2022 Apr;45(4):865-874.
doi: 10.1007/s40618-021-01718-x. Epub 2022 Jan 13.

Subacute thyroiditis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

A B Bahçecioğlu  1 , Z C Karahan  2 , B I Aydoğan  3 , I A Kalkan  4 , A Azap  4 , M F Erdoğan  5
Affiliations

Subacute thyroiditis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

A B Bahçecioğlu et al. J Endocrinol Invest. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Subacute thyroiditis(SAT) is a destructive thyroiditis associated with viral infections. Several SAT cases associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection/vaccination were recently reported. We aimed to evaluate prospectively all cases applied to our tertiary center and their relationship with SARS-CoV-2 during 16 months of the pandemic. Cases during similar pre-pandemic period were recorded for numeric comparison.

Methods: Prospective study took place between March 2020 and July 2021. SAT was diagnosed by classical criteria. Swabs for SARS-CoV-2 and a wide respiratory viral panel (RV-PCR) were taken. Previous COVID-19 was assessed by SARS-CoV-2 IgM&IgG levels. Study group was divided into three as: CoV-SAT, patients who had or still have COVID-19, Vac-SAT, patients diagnosed within three months after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and NonCoV-SAT, those not associated with COVID-19 or vaccination.

Results: Out of 64 patients, 18.8% (n = 12) was classified as CoV-SAT, 9.3% (n = 6) as Vac-SAT and 71.9% as (n = 46) NonCoV-SAT. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests on the diagnosis of SAT were negative in all, but two patients tested positive five days later, in second testing, performed upon clinical necessity. CoV-SAT and NonCoV-SAT groups were similar in terms of clinical, laboratory, and treatment characteristics. However, symptoms were milder and treatment was easier in Vac-SAT group (p = 0.006).

Conclusions: Total number of SAT cases during the pandemic period was comparable to pre-pandemic period. However, a considerable rate of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in SAT patients was established. COVID-19 presented with SAT, as the first manifestation in three cases. Vaccine-related cases developed in a shorter time period, clinical presentation was milder, and only a few required corticosteroids.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2; Subacute thyroiditis; Vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any potential conflicts of interest associated with this research.

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