COVID-19-related thyroiditis: A novel disease entity?

Abstract

The literature on COVID-19-related thyroid complications has accumulated over the past year or so as the pandemic has accelerated throughout the world. In particular, several recent case reports have been published describing a possible correlation between COVID-19 disease and subacute thyroiditis (SAT). In this review, we briefly present one of our own patients and review the current published literature in this area up to January 2021, including analyses of major series of thyroid function tests in patients with significant COVID-19 infection. We conclude that while the great majority of patients with severe COVID-19 infection may show manifestations of the sick euthyroid syndrome, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of SAT, especially in the early weeks and months following even mild COVID-19 infection.