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Case of Subacute Thyroiditis Presenting as the Cause of Fever of Unknown Origin

불명열의 원인으로 제시된 아급성 갑상선염의 증례

  • Kim, Jong Ho (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Bae, Kwi Hyun (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Yeon Kyung (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Ha, In Gyoon (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Keun Gyu (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Jung Guk (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, In Kyu (Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine)
  • 김종호 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 배귀현 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 최연경 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 하인균 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 박근규 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 김정국 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 이인규 (경북대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실)
  • Received : 2012.07.05
  • Accepted : 2012.11.13
  • Published : 2013.05.01

Abstract

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is not infrequently a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. Common infectious causes include endocarditis and abscesses in adults, and noninfectious causes include neoplasms and certain collagen vascular diseases. Endocrine causes of FUO are rare. The only endocrine disorder likely to present as FUO is subacute thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis usually occurs in middle-aged women as viral prodrome, neck tenderness, classic symptoms of thyrotoxicosis, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The patient may have abrupt onset of fever and chills with complaints of thyroid pain, or only low-grade fever with poorly characterized anterior neck pain. We present a case of FUO in a 48-year-old female who had had fever and neck pain for more than one month. Despite an extensive evaluation, the patient had persistent fever and no cause was found, with the exception of subacute thyroiditis. The fever resolved from the second day of treatment with low-dose steroid (prednisolone, 10 mg per day). This case illustrates that subacute thyroiditis should be considered in cases of FUO.

Keywords

References

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  4. Fever of unknown origin as the major manifestation of subacute thyroiditis vol.2021, pp.None, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1530/edm-20-0179
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