Elevated TSH

Differentiating different causes of TSH elevation

Various kinds of diseases that cause elevated TSH (which all are categorized as hypothyroidism) can be differentiated from each other on the basis of history and symptoms and laboratory findings:^[1]^[2]^[3]

Disease		History and symptoms			Laboratory findings							Additional findings
Disease		Fever	Goiter	Pain	TSH	Free T4	T3	T3RU	Thyroglobin	TRH	TPOAb	Additional findings
Primary hypothyroidism	Autoimmune	+	+/- Diffuse	-	↑	↓	N/↓	Normal	N/↑	Normal	↑	May be accompanied by other autoimmune diseases
	Thyroiditis	+	+/-	+	↑	↓	Normal	Normal	N/↑	Normal	Normal	Infectious thyroiditis associated with neck pain
	Others	-	+/-	-	↑	↓	Normal	Normal	N/↑	Normal	Normal	History of hyperthyroidism Drug history
Transient hypothyroidism		+/-	-	+/-	↑	↑	Normal	Normal	↑	Normal	Normal	May present primarily with hyperthyroidism
Subclinical hypothyroidism		-	-	-	↑	Normal	Normal	Normal	↑	Normal	N/↑	Asymptomatic
Central Hypothyroidism	Pituitary	+	-	-	N/↓	N/↓	N/↓	↓	Normal	Normal	Normal	Other pituitary hormone deficiencies signs
Central Hypothyroidism	Hypothalamus	+	-	-	N/↓	N/↓	N/↓	↑	Normal	↓	Normal	Other pituitary hormone deficiencies signs
Resistance to TSH/TRH		-	-	-	↑	N/↓	N/↓	Normal	Normal	↑/↓	Normal	Rare

References

↑ McDermott MT (2009). "In the clinic. Hypothyroidism". Ann. Intern. Med. 151 (11): ITC61. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-11-200912010-01006. PMID 19949140.
↑ Aoki Y, Belin RM, Clickner R, Jeffries R, Phillips L, Mahaffey KR (2007). "Serum TSH and total T4 in the United States population and their association with participant characteristics: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002)". Thyroid. 17 (12): 1211–23. doi:10.1089/thy.2006.0235. PMID 18177256.
↑ O'Brien T, Dinneen SF, O'Brien PC, Palumbo PJ (1993). "Hyperlipidemia in patients with primary and secondary hypothyroidism". Mayo Clin. Proc. 68 (9): 860–6. PMID 8371604.

[pmid19949140-1] McDermott MT (2009). "In the clinic. Hypothyroidism". Ann. Intern. Med. 151 (11): ITC61. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-11-200912010-01006. PMID 19949140.

[pmid18177256-2] Aoki Y, Belin RM, Clickner R, Jeffries R, Phillips L, Mahaffey KR (2007). "Serum TSH and total T4 in the United States population and their association with participant characteristics: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002)". Thyroid. 17 (12): 1211–23. doi:10.1089/thy.2006.0235. PMID 18177256.

[pmid8371604-3] O'Brien T, Dinneen SF, O'Brien PC, Palumbo PJ (1993). "Hyperlipidemia in patients with primary and secondary hypothyroidism". Mayo Clin. Proc. 68 (9): 860–6. PMID 8371604.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Elevated TSH

Differentiating different causes of TSH elevation

References

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