The thyroid gland is an important organ of the internalsecretion. Its main function is the production of specific hormones (triiodothyronine, thyroxine), which control the metabolism in the human body and affect all body systems. In this article, we consider such a disease as myxedema. Causes and symptoms will also be described.
Thyroid disease causes developmenttwo syndromes. The production of hormones can increase - this is a syndrome of hyperthyroidism. However, the most important is the reduction of thyroid hormones, which is called hypothyroidism.
Myxedema is the extreme degree of hypothyroidism.This condition is characterized by mucous edema of tissues. Due to a lack of thyroid hormones, polysaccharide residues accumulate in the tissues, which attract water to them. The tissues are excessively filled with water, and mucous edema develops.
Myxedema can occur at any age.Women suffer from this disease more often than men, the occurrence of myxedema is often accompanied by a climacteric period. Hypothyroidism has a special significance in newborns and children of early age. Because of the slowing of metabolism, the physical development and psyche of the child is disrupted. If hypothyroidism has an innate character (with aplasia or hypoplasia of the gland) and has not been treated, cretinism appears - a special form of mental retardation in children.
In adults, myxedema causes tissue damagethyroid gland - hypothyroidism bears the name of primary. However, the gland function is controlled by the pituitary gland by means of TSH - a thyroid-stimulating hormone. Therefore, if the work of the pituitary gland (tumor, violation of blood supply, trauma, congenital pathology) is disrupted, secondary hypothyroidism occurs. Very rarely there is a tertiary hypothyroidism caused by disruption of the hypothalamus.
When the disease "myxedema" causes and symptoms are interrelated.
Thus, the main causes of myxedema are the following:
As a result, myxedema may develop. Causes and symptoms are important in the choice of treatment.
Since thyroid hormones affect all body systems, the manifestations of myxedema will also be diverse.
With severe thyroid hormone deficiencya person acquires a characteristic appearance - a "myxedema face" is formed. The face is edematic, the edema is most pronounced on the eyelids, lips. The skin is pale, has an icteric hue, cold to the touch, is scaly, there is a drop of eyebrows, eyelashes and hair on the head. The work of mimic muscles is disrupted - the person is inactive, has an indifferent look.
The defeat of the nervous system is expressed in a changethe psyche. Movements become uncoordinated, sluggish. Depression is observed. The information from the outside is not well perceived, the reaction to events is insignificant or indifferent. Drowsiness is noted, memory and attention are reduced. Speech is indistinct and slowed down.
There are fluctuations in blood pressure, more oftendownwards. The work of the heart muscle is disrupted, the heart rate is reduced - a "myxedema heart" is formed. The digestive system is also affected - chronic constipation, impaired motor activity of the biliary tract.
Develops mucous edema.
The respiratory capacity of the lungs decreases,as a result of which there are periods of stopping breathing in a dream. In addition, around the lungs often accumulates fluid, which also disrupts breathing. This phenomenon is called "myxedematous polyserositis."
Despite the reduced appetite, the patientMyxedema develops obesity, high blood cholesterol is determined. The hearing decreases, there is hoarseness of voice, nasal breathing is disturbed. Often anemia develops due to iron deficiency or folic acid. You need a good endocrinologist.
Women often break the menstrual cycle,fertility and libido decrease. Arthritis arises, bone tissue is depleted with calcium, so fractures are easily formed. Children have a lag in growth and development in comparison with their peers.
A good endocrinologist is already in appearanceThe patient can diagnose myxedema. However, to determine the cause of the disease, as well as determine the tactics of treatment, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies. Diagnosis of myxedema as a whole is not very difficult.
There are basic and auxiliary diagnostic methods. The main methods allow to detect the myxedema, and the auxiliary methods are used to find the cause and refine the form of the disease.
For the examination, you can apply to: Moscow, Dmitriy Ulyanov Street, 11. The Institute of Endocrinology conducts the following diagnostic procedures:
1. Basic:
2. Auxiliary:
Admission of an endocrinologist is inexpensive.
The doctor examines, palpates and listens to internal organs (heart, lungs). The symptoms described above can greatly help the doctor in the diagnostic search.
The analysis of blood reveals a decrease in the contentfree thyroxine, but the most significant is the detection of elevated TSH. Allocate subclinical hypothyroidism, which is not accompanied by any symptoms and is detected more often by accident. It is an increased level of TSH is the first "alarm bell" regarding the development of hypothyroidism and myxedema in particular.
Ultrasound of the thyroid gland allows you to visualizevarious formations in the gland tissue (nodes, tumors, calcifications). This method is considered to be easy to implement and relatively inexpensive with sufficient informativeness. If a myxedema is diagnosed, treatment should be immediate.
The essence of radioisotope scintigraphy isintroduction of radioactive isotopes of iodine intravenously and evaluation of its accumulation in the thyroid gland tissues, peculiarities of its distribution in it and excretion. If the ultrasound can evaluate only the structure of the gland, then scintigraphy evaluates its function. If there is a disease "myxedema," a person often has a decreased accumulation of iodine preparations of a local or diffuse nature. In addition to the function, this method evaluates the ongoing treatment of various diseases of the gland.
A biopsy of the thyroid gland involves a fencea piece of tissue with special needles for a biopsy. Subsequently, he undergoes microscopic and histochemical studies. This allows you to identify various diseases at the cellular level and in time to recognize the tumor process.
Definition of antibodies to thyroid tissueacquires its importance in the absence of visible causes of myxedema. It is important to know that the normal thyroid gland does not cause the formation of protective proteins, because it is limited by a layer of connective tissue. But with some diseases this capsule is thinned, and the gland tissue contacts the immune cells. As a result, antibodies are formed to the cells of the gland, which inhibit its function without altering the structure.
Admission of an endocrinologist before the start of therapy is mandatory.
Treatment of myxedema is not difficult and representshormonal therapy with a substitute goal. However, it should be remembered that it is often not possible to restore the function of the gland itself, so taking medications becomes mandatory and lifelong. Improvement in the condition is observed after 2-3 weeks of using special means.
For relief of symptoms, drugs are usedL-thyroxine ("Levothyroxine", "Eutirox") and their analogues. These drugs are synthetic substitutes for natural thyroid hormones. The dose of the drug is selected by the doctor individually in each case.
It should be noted that an overdose of the drugmay lead to the reverse myxedemia - hyperthyroidism, and an inadequate dose will not have an effect at all. The intake of other medicines may also impair absorption or accelerate the metabolism of L-thyroxine, therefore, consultation of other specialists regarding the combination of treatment is necessary.
An illness can be diagnosed by a doctortime of physical examination. However, the treatment of myxedema is carried out by an endocrinologist in specialized hospitals. These may be endocrinological departments of urban or regional hospitals. To conduct complex examination methods, patients are often referred to research centers in large cities. One of such objects is the "Endocrinology Research Center" (Moscow, Dmitri Ulyanov Street, 11). The Institute of Endocrinology is known for its help in the treatment of myxedema and other diseases by competent specialists and carries out the most complicated diagnostic and treatment procedures.
In general, myxedema (the causes and symptoms are described) -a completely correctable state. Taking medications completely levels out the above symptoms. However, untimely access to a doctor and non-compliance with recommendations can lead to disastrous consequences.
