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Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases represent the main two types of autoimmune thyroid disease. The combination of these two is well known. However, occurrence of Graves' disease after primary hypothyroidism is rare. We report seven patients with hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's disease, who developed Graves' disease with hyperthyroidism. We also report one patient with hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's disease, who continued to be hypothyroid even in the presence of TSAb (thyroid stimulating antibody). These patients were divided into three groups according to the changes in thyroid function and clinical course: (1) transient hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease following hypothyroidism; (2) persistent hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease following hypothyroidism; and (3) persistent hypothyroidism with positive TSAb. Such changes in thyroid function and clinical course seem to be decided by three factors: (1) TSAb and (2) TSBAb (thyroid stimulation blocking antibody) activities in the blood and (3) the responsiveness of the thyroid gland to TSAb. Seven patients had hyperthyroidism, when they had TSAb, which stimulated the thyroid gland; one of these seven patients had TSBAb during the hypothyroid state and TSAb during the hyperthyroid state, indicating that the alterations in the thyroid state related to the balance between the activities of TSAB and TSBAb. Another patient continued to be hypothyroid despite the presence of TSAb; his thyroid gland was not palpable and could not respond to TSAb.
Takasu et al. (Sat,) studied this question.