Graves' Disease:causes and Symptoms

Graves' disease, also known as diffuse toxic goiter, is the most common form of hyperthyroidism. More common in women than men, it affects about 3.2% of women and 0.32% of men in the United States. Not only can Graves' disease cause the rapid heartbeat, shaky hands, weakness, and heat intolerance found in all forms of hyperthyroidism, but it can also cause associated eye problems like exophthalmos (a swelling of the tissue behind the eyes which pushes the eyes forward).

Graves’ disease is the most common cause of overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). It is caused by an autoantibody (called thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin, TSI) that acts like thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and that causes the thyroid gland to produce excess thyroid hormone. Those most likely to have the disease are women over 20 years of age. According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, Graves’ disease affects about 2% of women at some time in their lives.

INHERITANCE
Several lines of evidence have suggested that Graves disease occurs in families. Bartels (1941) suggested that Graves disease is inherited as a simple autosomal recessive with relative sex limitation to females and reduced penetrance (70 to 80%) in homozygotes. Martin and Fisher (1945) postulated a recessive factor predisposing to exophthalmic goiter; however, Martin and Fisher (1951) could find no evidence of hereditary basis of toxic nodular goiter.

Ingbaretal. (1956) found abnormalities of thyroid metabolism in euthyroid relatives of a thyrotoxic patient. Levit, in early studies in the U.S.S.R., was more inclined toward dominant inheritance (Fraser, 1967). Neither the recessive nor the dominant hypothesis had satisfactory proof.
What are the symptoms of Graves’ disease?
Hyperthyroidism
The hyperthyroid symptoms of Graves’ disease are often the same as those caused by other types of hyperthyroidism (see the Hyperthyroidism brochure).Eye disease Graves’ disease is the only kind of hyperthyroidism that has inflammation of the eyes, swelling of the tissues around the eyes, and bulging of the eyes (called Graves’ophthalmopathy).

The cause of these problems is unknown. Although many patients with Graves’ disease have redness andSkin disease Rarely, patients with Graves’ disease develop a lumpy reddish thickening of the skin in front of the shins known as pretibial myxedema.

Q. Is there a relationship between thyroid problems and anaemia?
There is definitely a link between hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and anaemia. This is actually because the metabolism is slowed down due to inadequate levels of thyroid hormones rather than an iron deficiency. The anaemia usually corrects itself when the hypothyroidism is treated.

The anaemia is not a separate condition, but is caused directly by the hypothyroidism. If you are prescribed iron tablets to help correct the problem, you should not take these tablets together with your thyroxine, because the iron affects the way the body absorbs thyroxine.

What are the symptoms?
The thyroid gland grows larger (goiter) as it produces more and more hormone. Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, nervousness, irritability, sweating, dislike of hot weather, shakiness, and rapid pulse. About 50% of patients have red, watery, bulging eyes (the actor Marty Feldman had a severe case).