While there is nothing new about the potential for viral-driven thyroid disturbance, what is new and making news in the aftermath of Covid 19 is the particular predilection this virus has shown for this gland. And in turn what the virus (and the vaccines) have taught us about thyroid pathophysiology. While many potential ‘next waves’ of long-term Covid-related health issues have been speculated upon, the virus has already made its presence felt in the ‘biography of the thyroid’ for many patients.
Leading up to the pandemic, our understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology had already undergone several seismic shifts, with increasing recognition of something called ‘physiological autoimmunity’ (as in, in many patients, some thyroid antibodies are better than none), while at the opposite end of the spectrum – Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (AITD), is now increasingly accepted as a Systemic Autoimmune Disease, recognising that it no longer ‘just impacts the thyroid and replacement will fix’. Hand in hand with this, a substantial body of evidence has entirely flipped the direction of the relationship between adiposity and thyroid dysfunction – arguing that adiposity is the cause and not the consequence! All of these pivot points in thyroid health and disease constitute a call to action in terms of practice changes we need to urgently undertake – in terms of both diagnostics and management.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Review and refine your knowledge on thyroid health
- Learn key updates on thyroid physiology and pathophysiology
- Improve your thyroid assessment accuracy and the accuracy in your interpretation of results
- Understand viral driven thyroid disease from Euthyroid Sick Syndrome (or Nonthyroidal Illness Syndrome) to Thyrotoxicosis and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
- Learn how adiposity drives thyroid dysfunction
- Identify the two key pathology patterns that help clinicians to recognise primary pathophysiological assault resulting from excess adiposity and how this directs treatment
- Expand your tool kit with new evidence-based information and treatment options
