Rheumatic Syndromes of Myxedema

Abstract

In 74 patients, referred between 1954 and 1967 to our Rheumatology Unit because of arthritis, we suspected hypothyroidism on clinical grounds. Laboratory confirmation was obtained in 38; five had no objective signs of arthritis, and 22 were excluded as having other causes for rheumatic symptoms and signs. The remaining 11 patients had a variety of rheumatic syndromes as their principal manifestation of myxedema. Diagnoses with which myxedema joint disease was confused were serum-negative rheumatoid arthritis, intervertebral disk disease, osteoarthritis, fibrositis, psychoneurosis and nonspecific "arthritis" or rheumatism. All patients recovered completely on thyroid-replacement therapy.