Abstract
Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease characterized by non-caseating granulomas that rarely involve the thyroid gland. Thyroid sarcoidosis has seldom been documented, and few cases have so far been described in association with hyperthyroidism. Here, we review the literature on this association, report two patients presenting with hyperthyroidism and histologically-proven sar-coidosis, and discuss related clinical, biochemical, pathological and genetic findings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sharma OP, Izumi T. Sarcoidosis. In: Cannon GW, Zimmerman GA eds. The lung in rheumatic diseases. New York: Marcel Dekker. 1990: 433–59.
Harach HR, Williams ED. The pathology of granulomatous diseases of the thyroid gland. Sarcoidosis 1990, 7: 19–27.
Ozkan Z, Oncel M, Kurt N, et al. Sarcoidosis presenting as cold thyroid nodules: report of two cases. Surg Today 2005, 35: 770–3.
Zimmermann-Belsing T, Christensen L, Hansen HS, Kirkegaard J, Blichert-Toft M, Feldt-Rasmussen U. A case of sarcoidosis and sarcoid granuloma, papillary carcinoma, and Graves’ disease in the thyroid gland. Thyroid 2000, 10: 275–8.
Sasaki H, Harada T, Eimoto T, Matsuoka Y, Okumura M. Concomitant association of thyroid sarcoidosis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Am J Med Sci 1987, 294: 441–3.
L’Her E, Horeau D, Kenzi A, Haloun A, Germaud P, Dabouis G. Association of sarcoidosis and autoimmune thyroiditis. Rev Pneumol Clin 1995, 51: 87–9.
Gentilucci UV, Picardi A, Manfiini S, D’Avola D, Costantino S, Pozzilli P. Granulomatous thyroiditis: an unexpected finding leading to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Acta Biomed Ateneo Parmense 2004, 75: 69–73.
Rosai J. Surgical Pathology. 9th ed. New York: Mosby. Vol. 1. 2004, 557.
Olerup O, Zetterquist H. HLA-DR typing by PCR amplification with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in 2 hours: an alternative to serological DR typing in clinical practice including donor-recipient matching in cadaveric transplantation. Tissue Antigens 1992, 39: 225–33.
Olerup O, Aldener A, Fogdell A. HLA-DQB1 and -DQA1 typing by PCR amplification with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in 2 hours. Tissue Antigens 1993, 41: 119–34.
Lynch JP III, Strieter RM. Sarcoidosis. In: Lynch JP III, DeRemee RA eds. Immunologically-mediated pulmonary diseases. Philadelphia: JP Lippincott Company. 1991, 189–216.
Sharma OP, Kadakia D. Etiology of sarcoidosis. Semin Respir Med 1986, 8: 95–102.
Papadopoulos KI, Hornblad Y, Liljebladh H, Hallengren B. High frequency of endocrine autoimmunity in patients with sarcoidosis. Eur J Endocrinol 1996, 134: 331–6.
Ilias I, Panoutsopoulos G, Batsakis C, Nikolakakou D, Filippou N, Christakopoulou I. Thyroid function and autoimmunity in sarcoidosis: a case-control study. Croat Med J 1998, 39: 404–6.
Nakamura H, Genma R, Mikami T, et al. High incidence of positive autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin in patients with sarcoidosis. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1997, 46: 467–72.
Attali JR, Valensi P, Valeyre D, Sandre-Banon D, Sebaoun J, Battesti JP. Thyroid stimulating antibodies in sarcoidosis. Pathol Biol (Paris) 1994, 42: 581–6.
Szabolcs I, Bernard W, Horster FA. Thyroid autoantibodies in hospitalized chronic geriatric patients: prevalence, effects of age, nonthyroidal clinical state and thyroid function. J Am Geriatr Soc 1995, 43: 670–3.
Deftos LJ, Catherwood BD. Syndromes involving multiple endocrine glands. In: Greenspan FS, Baxter JD eds. Basic and clinical endocrinology. Newark: Appleton and Lange. 1994, 713–28.
Brewerton DS, Cockburn C, James DC, Neville E. HLA antigens in sarcoidosis. Clin Exp Immunol 1977, 27: 227–9.
Grunewald J, Eklund A, Olerup O. Human leukocyte antigen class I alleles and the disease course in sarcoidosis patients. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004, 169: 696–702.
Petrone A, Giorgi G, Galgani A, et al. CT60 single nucleotide polymorphisms of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyteassociated antigen-4 gene region is associated with Graves’ disease in an Italian population. Thyroid 2005, 15: 232–8.
Marga M, Denisova A, Sochnev A, Pirags V, Farid NR. Two HLA DRB 1 alleles confer independent genetic susceptibility to Graves disease: relevance of cross-population studies. Am J Med Genet 2001, 102: 188–91.
Norment AM, Salter RD, Parham P, Engelhard VH, Littman DR. Cell-cell adhesion mediated by CD8 and MHC class I molecules. Nature 1988, 336: 79–81.
Doyle C, Strominger JL. Interaction between CD4 and class II MHC molecules mediates cell adhesion. Nature 1987, 330: 256–9.
Bell NH. Endocrine complications of sarcoidosis. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1991, 20: 645–54.
Yarman S, Kahraman H, Tanakol R, Kapran Y. Concomitant association of thyroid sarcoidosis and Graves’ disease. Horm Res 2003, 59: 43–6.
Langsteger W, Lind P, Beham A, Koltringer P, Eber O. Isolated thyroid gland sarcoidosis and hyperthyroidism. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 1989, 119: 544–8.
Heim J, Derrien G, Larzul JJ, Le Heloco A. Associated goitre and sarcoidosis: report on four cases including two with thyrotoxicosis. Ann Med Interne (Paris) 1981, 132: 372–6.
Golden B, Levine L, Ban Y, Concepcion E, Greenberg DA, Tomer Y. Genetic analysis of families with autoimmune diabetes and thyroiditis: evidence for common and unique genes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005, 90: 4904–11.
Falorni A, Brozzetti A. Diabetes-related antibodies in adult diabetic patients. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005, 19: 119–33.
Eisenbarth GS. Prediction of type 1 diabetes: the natural history of the prediabetic period. Adv Exp Med Biol 2004, 552: 268–90.
Hrda P, Sterzl I, Matucha P, Korioth F, Kromminga A. HLA antigen expression in autoimmune endocrinopathies. Physiol Res 2004, 53: 191–7.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Papi, G., Briganti, F., Artioli, F. et al. Sarcoidosis of the thyroid gland associated with hyperthyroidism: Review of the literature and report of two peculiar cases. J Endocrinol Invest 29, 834–839 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347380
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03347380