Alternative Names & Classifications:
Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis (CLINICAL)
Description
Infiltrating lymphocytes slowly replace the functional tissues of the thyroid gland, destroying its ability to produce essential metabolic hormones. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world, overwhelmingly affecting middle-aged adult females. The slow, insidious destruction of the gland results in a gradual, global slowing of the patient's entire metabolism.