A Systematic Review of Subacute Thyroiditis Related to COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which belongs to the family Coronaviridae, is the cause of COVID-19 infection. Its outbreak was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. COVID-19 does not involve the respiratory system solely, but other systems were also noted to be affected, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems. Several case reports and series have been published regarding SAT related to COVID-19 infection, yet management and clinical outcomes of the disease have not been discussed in detail. Methods: This is a systematic review of cases that have been reported to have subacute thyroiditis induced by COVID-19 infection. A systematic search was conducted throughout multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and MeSH network. Results: The total number of reported subacute thyroiditis cases attributed to COVID-19 is 24. There was a female predominance (18 females and 6 males) with a female to male ratio of 3:1. Ages ranged from 18 to 69 years (mean = 38.67). Twenty-four symptoms related to thyroiditis were reported, the most common of which being neck pain (95.83%, n=23), palpitations (79.17%, n=19), and fever (66.67%, n=16). The outcome was complete resolution in 70% of cases. Conclusion: The endocrine complications of COVID-19 and their management have been disregarded by most as they are rare. Our knowledge of COVID-19 and its complications is growing rapidly. More favourable outcomes were linked with the use of corticosteroid therapy. Until larger studies can be conducted, the management of SAT caused by COVID-19 remains to be based on each individual case. However, the treatment regimen should include corticosteroid therapy.