Rapid improvement of thyroid function by using glucocorticoid indicated for the preoperative preparation of subtotal thyroidectomy in Graves' disease

Abstract

Glucocorticoid therapy is not considered as an authentic method for obtaining euthyroid in Graves' disease. We tried the administration of prednisolone as a preoperative preparation for subtotal thyroidectomy in 4 hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease who had suffered adverse effects of thionamide antithyroid drugs, including agranulocytosis, liver damage and skin eruptions. Following oral administration of a 30 mg daily dose of prednisolone, with or without other antithyroid reagents, both serum T4 and T3 concentrations decreased rapidly and reached the normal range within 2 weeks. The clinical signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism also improved rapidly and subtotal thyroidectomies were performed uneventfully in all cases. These results suggest that 1) glucocorticoid medication can normalize the circulating hormone levels rapidly in Graves' disease, 2) it is a useful method as preoperative preparation for subtotal thyroidectomy, especially when other conventional methods are not available or effective in obtaining euthyroid, and 3) mechanisms other than thyroid stimulation by circulating immunoglobulin seem to play an important role in causing hyperfunction of the gland.