Thyrotoxic muscle disease

Abstract

Evidence suggests that most hyperthyroid patients have a proximal myopathy. The more severe this is the more frequently are distal muscles, and ultimately, bulbar muscles involved. Probably acute thyrotoxic myopathy or encephalopathy supervenes on a previous chronic background or occurs concurrently with skeletal muscle involvement. Using careful electromyographic techniques evidence of myopathy may be found in most thyrotoxics; it disappears with adequate treatment of the primary disease. Myasthenia gravis and periodic paralysis are also associated with thyrotoxicosis and their differentiation is discussed. Infiltrative ophthalmopathy is not related to the effects of excess thyroid hormone, but is possibly due to EPS working in conjunction with LATS.