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Horm Metab Res 2020; 52(10): 712-717
DOI: 10.1055/a-1148-2260
Endocrine Care

Successful Management of Recurrent Subacute Thyroiditis by Adding Colchicine to Glucocorticoid Treatment: A Case Series Study

Zhenhua Tian
1   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
2   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
,
Yu Su
1   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
3   Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China;
4   Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shandong Academy of Clinical Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China;
,
Meijie Zhang
1   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
3   Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China;
4   Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shandong Academy of Clinical Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China;
,
Xiujuan Zhang
1   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
2   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
3   Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China;
,
Qingbo Guan
1   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
2   Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China;
3   Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, Shandong, China;
› Author Affiliations Funding: This work was funded by grants from the Key Research and Development Plan of Shandong Province (2017G006006).
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Correction: Successful Management of Recurrent Subacute Thyroiditis by Adding Colchicine to Glucocorticoid Treatment: A Case Series StudyHorm Metab Res 2020; 52(10): e4-e4
DOI: 10.1055/a-1175-6502

Abstract

Although subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is thought to be a self-limited inflammatory thyroid disease, the recurrence rate of SAT is approximately 10–20%. It is difficult for these patients to stop glucocorticoid treatment, and they are usually bothered with recurrent pain and the side effects of glucocorticoids for more than several months. We describe three cases who were diagnosed with recurrent subacute thyroiditis after a reduction in prednisolone (PSL) dose, either immediately upon the cessation of PSL or shortly thereafter. Their symptoms, including the adverse effects of PSL, severely impacted their quality of life. After a complete assessment, we administered colchicine at 1 mg per day for 1–2 months to control the recurrence of SAT and monitored their routine blood parameters every two weeks. All 3 patients were successfully tapered off of PSL treatment and were free of frequently recurrent SAT. Colchicine may be therapeutic in patients with prednisolone-refractory, recurrent SAT. However, a large-scale, double-blind, controlled, prospective multicenter study is required to provide a solid body of evidence.

Key words

recurrent subacute thyroiditis - SAT - management - colchicine - glucocorticoid


Publication History

Received: 02 July 2019

Accepted after revision: 24 March 2020

Article published online:
04 May 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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