Coma mixedematoso / Myxedema coma

El hipotiroidismo es una enfermedad frecuente, de diagnóstico y tratamiento simples. Si no es detectada a tiempo puede progresar a la forma más grave conocida como coma mixedematoso. El término "coma mixedematoso" es considerado generalmente engañoso, ya que la mayoría de los pacientes no se presenta inicialmente en estado de coma. La progresión típica es la letargia, evolucionando al estupor y eventualmente al coma, con insuficiencia respiratoria e hipotermia. Es relativamente infrecuente, afecta fundamentalmente a mujeres ancianas, y a menudo ocurre en invierno. Esta entidad debe ser considerada una forma de hipotiroidismo descompensado, desencadenada a partir de una variedad de enfermedades o condiciones no tiroideas que provocan un compromiso sistémico generalizado de extrema gravedad, con desenlace fatal de no mediar un diagnóstico precoz y un tratamiento intensivo.

Hypothyroidism is a frequently diagnosed and simply treated disease. If not recognised, however, in time it may develop into the most severe manifestation of hypothyroidism known as myxedema coma. The term "myxedema coma" is generally seen as misleading since most patients do not initially present in a coma. The typical progression is lethargy evolving into stupor and, eventually, into coma with respiratory failure and hypothermia. It mainly affects elderly women, often occurring in winter and is relatively rare. It can be considered a form of decompensated hypothyroidism often triggered by a variety of non-thyroid conditions or diseases provoking an extremely severe condition of multiple system failure with lethal consequences unless an early diagnosis is made and an aggressive treatment is administered.

Coma mixedematoso em paciente com neurofibromatose tipo 1: associação rara / Myxedema coma in a patient with type 1 neurofibromatosis: rare association

O coma mixedematoso (CM) é uma emergência endocrinológica rara, porém letal e consiste na expressão extrema do hipotireoidismo. Relatamos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino, 51 anos, que abandonou tratamento do hipotireoidismo por 10 meses e evoluiu com sintomas de letargia, edema e intolerância ao frio que culminaram em insuficiência respiratória e coma. Apresentava também diagnóstico prévio de neurofibromatose. O diagnóstico precoce do coma mixedematoso aliado à instituição imediata do tratamento com levotiroxina e ao manejo adequado de complicações, como insuficiência respiratória, choque cardiogênico associado a swinging heart, insuficiências adrenal e renal agudas e sepse, permitiu a evolução favorável do quadro.

Myxedema coma, a rare but fatal emergency, is an extreme expression of hypothyroidism. We describe a 51-year-old male patient who has discontinued hypothyroidism treatment 10 months earlier and developed lethargy, edema, and cold intolerance symptoms. He also had a previous diagnosis of neurofibromatosis. After admission, he progressed to respiratory insufficiency and coma. The prompt recognition of the condition, thyroid hormone replacement, and management of the complications (hypoventilation, cardiogenic shock associated with swinging heart, adrenal and renal insufficiency and sepsis), resulted in a favorable evolution.

Elephantiasic pretibial myxedema

Grave's disease is an autoimmune disease of thyroid gland and pretibial myxedema occurs in 4% of these patients. We present a 50-year-old man with Grave's disease who was referred with nonpitting, edematous, erythematous plaques on legs and feet that became elephantiasic. Biopsy of skin revealed granular material deposition in dermis with splitting of collagen fibers. This is a rare presentation of pretibial myxedema that presented in this case

Myxedema Ascites: Case Report and Literature Review

Myxedema ascites caused by hypothyroidism is rare, so its diagnosis is often delayed and patients frequently receive unnecessary procedures such as liver biopsies and exploratory laparotomies. We report a 71-yr-old man with clinical ascites that was the first manifestation of hypothyroidism, and which resolved completely in response to thyroid hormone replacement therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of myxedema ascites in Korea. A review of the literature revealed 51 well-documented cases of myxedema ascites. Analyses of ascites from patients in this condition usually show high protein (>2.5 g/dL) and low white blood cell counts, with a high proportion of lymphocytes. A consistent feature is the good response to thyroid hormone replacement therapy, which has always led to resolution of the ascites. Myxedema ascites is thus rare but easy to treat; it should be borne in mind, especially if the ascites fluid has a high protein content.

Elephantiasis Nostras Verrucosa: a rare thyroid dermopathy in Graves' disease.

Elephantiasis Nostras Verrucosa (ENV) is a rare form of pretibial myxedema, which is nearly always associated with Graves' disease. A case is presented here of Graves' disease who had elephantiasis variety of pre-tibial myxedema (PTM).

Acropaquia tiroidea / Thyroid acropachy

Se presenta una paciente con exoftalmia, mixedema pretibial e infiltración de los dedos de las manos que en el extremo distal adoptan la forma de palillo de tambor con uñas en vidrio de reloj. Sa analizan las características clínicas, histopatológicas y radiológicas y se efectúa una revisión de la literatura de este raro síndrome