Question

Sadie, age 40, has just been given a diagnosis of Graves disease. She has recently lost 25 lb, has palpitations, is very irritable, feels very warm, and has a noticeable bulge on her neck. The most likely cause of her increased thyroid function is:

1) Hyperplasia of the thyroid.
2) An anterior pituitary tumor.
3) A thyroid carcinoma.
4) An autoimmune response.

Answer 1

The most likely cause of the increased thyroid function in a 40-year-old patient with Graves' disease is an autoimmune response. This leads to the production of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin, causing symptoms like weight loss, palpitations, and a goiter.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sadie, age 40, has been diagnosed with Graves' disease, which is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. The symptoms she is experiencing, such as weight loss, palpitations, irritability, heat intolerance, and a noticeable goiter, are typical of this condition.

Graves' disease is primarily caused by an autoimmune response. This involves the production of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), which can overstimulate the thyroid to produce excessive amounts of thyroid hormone or, in some cases, block hormone production. TSI binds to TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) receptors, causing the thyroid to become hyperactive. As TSI interferes with the natural regulation of thyroid hormones, it results in symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism.

The most likely cause of Sadie's increased thyroid function is an autoimmune response, not hyperplasia of the thyroid, a thyroid carcinoma, or an anterior pituitary tumor. This immunological reaction causes the thyroid gland to enlarge, a condition known as goiter, and produce too much thyroid hormone, leading to the symptoms Sadie is experiencing.