Korean J Med.  2016 Oct;91(2):197-201. 10.3904/kjm.2016.91.2.197.

Encephalopathy Associated with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease Accompanied by Graves' Disease

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Daejeon Sun Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. sum1092@naver.com
  • 2Department of Neurology, Daejeon Sun Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.

Abstract

A patient with encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD), which is one of the most important differential diagnoses of treatable dementia, presents with various neurological symptoms, such as repetitive epileptic seizures, altered mental status, and cognitive dysfunction. Steroid treatment is effective for EAATD. The incidence of EAATD increases considerably with age, particularly in female patients. Most patients with EAATD have normal thyroid function test results or mild hypothyroidism. Patients with EAATD with Graves' disease are very rarely reported. Here, we report a case of a 63-year-old woman who complained of declining cognitive ability and ataxia. She was diagnosed with EAATD accompanied by Graves' disease. Her neurological symptoms improved after intravenous steroid administration.

Keyword

Graves disease; Brain diseases; Steroid

MeSH Terms

Ataxia
Brain Diseases
Dementia
Diagnosis, Differential
Epilepsy
Female
Graves Disease*
Humans
Hypothyroidism
Incidence
Middle Aged
Thyroid Diseases*
Thyroid Function Tests
Thyroid Gland*
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