Frequency of Anemia and Its Association with Disease Activity in Subacute Thyroiditis

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the frequency of anemia and its association with inflammation in patients with subacute thyroiditis (ST) at the time of diagnosis and after resolution of clinical findings and acute phase response.
Materials and Methods: Charts of patients with confirmed diagnosis of ST and followed at the Endocrinology and Metabolism Outpatient Clinic of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine were retrospectively reviewed, and those with acute phase response and hemogram results at the time of diagnosis and after the resolution of clinical and inflammation findings comprised the study group. Hemoglobin levels below 12g/dl for females and 13 g/dl for males were defined as anemia.
Results: Anemia was detected in 37 out of 60 ST patients (65%) studied at the time of diagnosis, and its frequency was reduced to 28.3% following the resolution of clinical and laboratory findings without additional treatment. A significant increase was observed both in hemoglobin (1.08±0.98 g/dl) and hematocrit (3.45±2.9) levels, but no change was detected in MCV values. Hemoglobin and hematocrit values of 20 patients (33.3%) who developed permanent hypothyroidism after the resolution of clinical findings were significantly lower than those of remaining patients both at the diagnosis and after the clinical improvement.
Conclusion: Anemia can develop in 65% of patients with ST, and a significant improvement can be observed in parallel with resolution of clinical and laboratory findings. Therefore, further investigations for the causes of anemia should be avoided in ST patients until the improvement of clinical findings and acute phase response.