HASHIMOTO DISEASE

also called Hashimoto thyroiditis, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, or struma lymphomatosa a noninfectious form of inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis). Hashimoto disease is an autoimmune disorder (i.e., one in which the body reacts to its own tissues as though they were foreign substances and as a result damages those tissues). Its onset is insidious, with gradual enlargement of the thyroid gland (a condition called goitre) and tenderness occurring only rarely. The four classic symptoms are: A slight, symmetrical rubbery enlargement of the gland A mild undersecretion of thyroid hormonesi.e., hypothyroidism Infiltration of the gland by white blood cells called lymphocytes Antibodies specific for thyroid antigens, including the hormone thyroglobulin The Japanese surgeon Hashimoto Hakaru first described this thyroid disorder in 1912. It has many variations from the classic pattern, most of which cause no symptoms. When symptoms are present, the principal one is thyroid enlargement, frequently with pressure on the esophagus or trachea. Sometimes there is spontaneous remission; if not, either the disease remains stable for years and can be treated by thyroid hormone therapy when hypothyroidism is present or else the gland can be surgically removed to relieve pressure in the throat or for cosmetic reasons. The condition occurs more frequently in females than in males, usually between the ages of 30 and 50, and there is a familial predisposition to it.