GRANULOMATOUS THYROIDITIS

also called Subacute, Giant-cell, Pseudotuberculous, or De Quervain's Thyroiditis, inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland, of unknown but presumably viral origin. It may persist from several weeks to a few months but subsides spontaneously. The disease most frequently occurs in women between the ages of 30 and 50. The thyroid gland may become enlarged, and some patients complain of tenderness in the front of the throat and difficulty in swallowing. Other symptoms include those of hyperthyroidism (e.g., accelerated heart rate, sweating, tremor), which are transient, and pain, fatigue, muscle aches, and fever. Symptoms are not consistently present, however, and about 25 percent of those affected experience neither pain nor fever. Most patients with the disease require only mild pain relievers for alleviation of symptoms, although more severe cases may call for stronger drugs, including steroids.