Thionamides-Related Vasculitis in Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders: Review of Current Literature and Case Reports

Graves’ disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is an autoimmune disorder, caused by the presence of autoantibodies directed against the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TRAb), chronically stimulating thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion, and resulting in an excessive amount of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) and gland growth. In iodine sufficient areas, this prototypical autoimmune disease is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis in young women as well as in children and adolescents, and it is characterized by thyrotoxicosis, goitre and typical manifestations such as ophthalmopathy and pretibial myxedema. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists guidelines (AACE, 2002), the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism relates on TSH values. Thus, with the exception of the excess of TSH secretion, hyperthyroidism of any cases results in a lower-than-normal or