Comparison of demographic data and clinical characteristics of the groups at time of subacute thyroiditis diagnosis (n = 811)
| Parameters (Q1-Q3 or %) . | Vac-SAT (n = 258) . | Cov-SAT (n = 98) . | Cont-SAT (n = 455) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex, n (%) | 71 (27.5%) | 34 (34.7%) | 117 (25.7%) | .195 |
| Age, y | 42 (36-49) | 41 (36-50) | 42 (37-49) | .643 |
| Thyroid disease, n (%) | 22 (9.3%) | 8 (8.2%) | 38 (8.4%) | .244 |
| Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, n (%) | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (1.0%) | 14 (3.1%) | |
| Nodular goiter, n (%) | 18 (7%) | 7 (7.1%) | 24 (5.3%) | |
| Inactive Graves, n (%) | 1 (0.4%) | N/A | N/A | |
| History of SAT, n (%) | 4 (1.6%) | 2 (2.0%) | 13 (2.9%) | .529 |
| Family history of thyroid disease, n (%) | 53 (20.5%) | 19 (19.4%) | 95 (20.9%) | .946 |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||||
| Never | 202 (78.3%) | 78 (79.6%) | 381 (83.7%) | .190 |
| Past | 21 (8.1%) | 10 (10.2%) | 23 (5.1%) | |
| Current | 35 (13.6%) | 10 (10.2) | 51 (11.2%) | |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s), d | 20 (10-40) | 21 (5-39) | 13 (3-22) | < .001a,b |
| Duration of symptoms, d | 30 (20-48) | 30 (20-60) | 35 (20-50) | .303 |
| Neck pain, n (%) | 250 (96.9%) | 88 (89.8%) | 435 (95.6%) | .016a,c |
| Tenderness, n (%) | 235 (91.1%) | 85 (86.7%) | 400 (87.9%) | .160 |
| Swelling in the neck, n (%) | 117 (45.3%) | 49 (50%) | 168 (36.9%) | .064 |
| Fever, % | 94 (36.4%) | 42 (42.9%) | 170 (37.4%) | .696 |
| Sweating, n (%) | 101 (39.1%) | 43 (43.9%) | 163 (35.8%) | .732 |
| Tremor, n (%) | 69 (26.7%) | 24 (24.5%) | 96 (21.2%) | .466 |
| Weight loss, n (%) | 73 (28.3%) | 20 (20.4%) | 124 (27.3%) | .204 |
| Fatigue n (%) | 126 (48.8%) | 53 (54.1%) | 250 (54.9%) | .060 |
| Signs | ||||
| Goiter, n (%) | 57 (22.1%) | 23 (23.5%) | 92 (20.2%) | .965 |
| Tachycardia, n (%) | 110 (42.6%) | 48 (49.0%) | 190 (41.8%) | .547 |
| Laboratory and imaging findings | ||||
| TSH, mIU/L | 0.02 (0.01-0.10) | 0.03 (0.01-0.14) | 0.02 (0.01-0.12) | .829 |
| FT4, pmol/L | 25.5 (20-37) | 23.6 (17.4-31.3) | 24.7 (17.4-34.5) | .273 |
| FT3, pmol/L | 7.1 (5.5-10.4) | 7.1 (5.8-9.3) | 6.9 (5.4-9.3) | .309 |
| FT4/FT3 ratio | 3.5 (2.9-4) | 3.2 (2.8-3.8) | 3.4 (2.9-4) | .258 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 44 (18.9-75) | 46 (18.7-84.8) | 43 (15.2-85.2) | .985 |
| ESR, mm/h | 50 (32-72) | 53 (31-71.5) | 56 (34.8-78) | .128 |
| WBC, ×109/L | 8.7 (7.2–10.6) | 8.6 (6.5–11) | 8.9 (7.3-10.4) | .589 |
| Anti-TPO positivity, n (%) (n = 617) | 23/190 (12.1%) | 4/79 (5.1%) | 32/348 (9.2%) | .210 |
| Anti-TG positivity (n (%) (n = 552) | 50/174 (28.7%) | 14/69 (20.3%) | 61/309 (19.7%) | .068 |
| TRAB positivity, n (%) (n = 194) | 2/83 (2.4%) | N/A | 5/111 (4.5%) | .659 |
| Ultrasonography (n = 774) | (n = 245) | (n = 93) | (n = 436) | |
| Heterogeneous parenchyma, n (%) | 177/245 (72.2%) | 71/93 (76.3%) | 310/436 (71.1%) | .586 |
| Hypoechoic areas, n (%) | 232/245 (94.7%) | 89/93 (95.7%) | 415/436 (95.2%) | .916 |
| Doppler (n = 367) | (n = 148) | (n = 38) | (n = 181) | .093 |
| Decreased vascularity, n (%) | 94 (63.5%) | 25 (65.8%) | 90 (49.7%) | |
| Thyroid scintigraphy (n = 117) | (n = 42) | (n = 16) | (n = 59) | .409 |
| Decreased scintigraphic uptake, n (%) | 40 (95.2%) | 15 (93.8%) | 53 (89.8%) | |
| Parameters (Q1-Q3 or %) . | Vac-SAT (n = 258) . | Cov-SAT (n = 98) . | Cont-SAT (n = 455) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex, n (%) | 71 (27.5%) | 34 (34.7%) | 117 (25.7%) | .195 |
| Age, y | 42 (36-49) | 41 (36-50) | 42 (37-49) | .643 |
| Thyroid disease, n (%) | 22 (9.3%) | 8 (8.2%) | 38 (8.4%) | .244 |
| Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, n (%) | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (1.0%) | 14 (3.1%) | |
| Nodular goiter, n (%) | 18 (7%) | 7 (7.1%) | 24 (5.3%) | |
| Inactive Graves, n (%) | 1 (0.4%) | N/A | N/A | |
| History of SAT, n (%) | 4 (1.6%) | 2 (2.0%) | 13 (2.9%) | .529 |
| Family history of thyroid disease, n (%) | 53 (20.5%) | 19 (19.4%) | 95 (20.9%) | .946 |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||||
| Never | 202 (78.3%) | 78 (79.6%) | 381 (83.7%) | .190 |
| Past | 21 (8.1%) | 10 (10.2%) | 23 (5.1%) | |
| Current | 35 (13.6%) | 10 (10.2) | 51 (11.2%) | |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s), d | 20 (10-40) | 21 (5-39) | 13 (3-22) | < .001a,b |
| Duration of symptoms, d | 30 (20-48) | 30 (20-60) | 35 (20-50) | .303 |
| Neck pain, n (%) | 250 (96.9%) | 88 (89.8%) | 435 (95.6%) | .016a,c |
| Tenderness, n (%) | 235 (91.1%) | 85 (86.7%) | 400 (87.9%) | .160 |
| Swelling in the neck, n (%) | 117 (45.3%) | 49 (50%) | 168 (36.9%) | .064 |
| Fever, % | 94 (36.4%) | 42 (42.9%) | 170 (37.4%) | .696 |
| Sweating, n (%) | 101 (39.1%) | 43 (43.9%) | 163 (35.8%) | .732 |
| Tremor, n (%) | 69 (26.7%) | 24 (24.5%) | 96 (21.2%) | .466 |
| Weight loss, n (%) | 73 (28.3%) | 20 (20.4%) | 124 (27.3%) | .204 |
| Fatigue n (%) | 126 (48.8%) | 53 (54.1%) | 250 (54.9%) | .060 |
| Signs | ||||
| Goiter, n (%) | 57 (22.1%) | 23 (23.5%) | 92 (20.2%) | .965 |
| Tachycardia, n (%) | 110 (42.6%) | 48 (49.0%) | 190 (41.8%) | .547 |
| Laboratory and imaging findings | ||||
| TSH, mIU/L | 0.02 (0.01-0.10) | 0.03 (0.01-0.14) | 0.02 (0.01-0.12) | .829 |
| FT4, pmol/L | 25.5 (20-37) | 23.6 (17.4-31.3) | 24.7 (17.4-34.5) | .273 |
| FT3, pmol/L | 7.1 (5.5-10.4) | 7.1 (5.8-9.3) | 6.9 (5.4-9.3) | .309 |
| FT4/FT3 ratio | 3.5 (2.9-4) | 3.2 (2.8-3.8) | 3.4 (2.9-4) | .258 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 44 (18.9-75) | 46 (18.7-84.8) | 43 (15.2-85.2) | .985 |
| ESR, mm/h | 50 (32-72) | 53 (31-71.5) | 56 (34.8-78) | .128 |
| WBC, ×109/L | 8.7 (7.2–10.6) | 8.6 (6.5–11) | 8.9 (7.3-10.4) | .589 |
| Anti-TPO positivity, n (%) (n = 617) | 23/190 (12.1%) | 4/79 (5.1%) | 32/348 (9.2%) | .210 |
| Anti-TG positivity (n (%) (n = 552) | 50/174 (28.7%) | 14/69 (20.3%) | 61/309 (19.7%) | .068 |
| TRAB positivity, n (%) (n = 194) | 2/83 (2.4%) | N/A | 5/111 (4.5%) | .659 |
| Ultrasonography (n = 774) | (n = 245) | (n = 93) | (n = 436) | |
| Heterogeneous parenchyma, n (%) | 177/245 (72.2%) | 71/93 (76.3%) | 310/436 (71.1%) | .586 |
| Hypoechoic areas, n (%) | 232/245 (94.7%) | 89/93 (95.7%) | 415/436 (95.2%) | .916 |
| Doppler (n = 367) | (n = 148) | (n = 38) | (n = 181) | .093 |
| Decreased vascularity, n (%) | 94 (63.5%) | 25 (65.8%) | 90 (49.7%) | |
| Thyroid scintigraphy (n = 117) | (n = 42) | (n = 16) | (n = 59) | .409 |
| Decreased scintigraphic uptake, n (%) | 40 (95.2%) | 15 (93.8%) | 53 (89.8%) | |
Parameters presented as median and interquartile ranges (25%-75%) or percentage.
Abbreviations: Cont-SAT, classic subacute thyroiditis; Cov-SAT, COVID-19–related subacute thyroiditis; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FT3, free triiodothyronine; FT4, free thyroxine; N/A, not available; SAT, subacute thyroiditis; TG, thyroglobulin; TPO, thyroid peroxidase; TRAB, thyrotropin receptor antibody; TSH, thyrotropin; Vac-SAT, SARS-CoV-2 vaccine–related subacute thyroiditis; WBC, white blood cell.
P less than .05 is statistically significant.
According to post hoc tests, statistically significant difference was found between the pairs Cont-SAT/Cov-SAT (P = .001) and Cont-SAT/Vac-SAT in terms of the time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s) (P < .001).
According to post hoc tests, neck pain was statistically significantly lower in the Cov-SAT group than in the other groups (P = .005).
Comparison of demographic data and clinical characteristics of the groups at time of subacute thyroiditis diagnosis (n = 811)
| Parameters (Q1-Q3 or %) . | Vac-SAT (n = 258) . | Cov-SAT (n = 98) . | Cont-SAT (n = 455) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex, n (%) | 71 (27.5%) | 34 (34.7%) | 117 (25.7%) | .195 |
| Age, y | 42 (36-49) | 41 (36-50) | 42 (37-49) | .643 |
| Thyroid disease, n (%) | 22 (9.3%) | 8 (8.2%) | 38 (8.4%) | .244 |
| Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, n (%) | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (1.0%) | 14 (3.1%) | |
| Nodular goiter, n (%) | 18 (7%) | 7 (7.1%) | 24 (5.3%) | |
| Inactive Graves, n (%) | 1 (0.4%) | N/A | N/A | |
| History of SAT, n (%) | 4 (1.6%) | 2 (2.0%) | 13 (2.9%) | .529 |
| Family history of thyroid disease, n (%) | 53 (20.5%) | 19 (19.4%) | 95 (20.9%) | .946 |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||||
| Never | 202 (78.3%) | 78 (79.6%) | 381 (83.7%) | .190 |
| Past | 21 (8.1%) | 10 (10.2%) | 23 (5.1%) | |
| Current | 35 (13.6%) | 10 (10.2) | 51 (11.2%) | |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s), d | 20 (10-40) | 21 (5-39) | 13 (3-22) | < .001a,b |
| Duration of symptoms, d | 30 (20-48) | 30 (20-60) | 35 (20-50) | .303 |
| Neck pain, n (%) | 250 (96.9%) | 88 (89.8%) | 435 (95.6%) | .016a,c |
| Tenderness, n (%) | 235 (91.1%) | 85 (86.7%) | 400 (87.9%) | .160 |
| Swelling in the neck, n (%) | 117 (45.3%) | 49 (50%) | 168 (36.9%) | .064 |
| Fever, % | 94 (36.4%) | 42 (42.9%) | 170 (37.4%) | .696 |
| Sweating, n (%) | 101 (39.1%) | 43 (43.9%) | 163 (35.8%) | .732 |
| Tremor, n (%) | 69 (26.7%) | 24 (24.5%) | 96 (21.2%) | .466 |
| Weight loss, n (%) | 73 (28.3%) | 20 (20.4%) | 124 (27.3%) | .204 |
| Fatigue n (%) | 126 (48.8%) | 53 (54.1%) | 250 (54.9%) | .060 |
| Signs | ||||
| Goiter, n (%) | 57 (22.1%) | 23 (23.5%) | 92 (20.2%) | .965 |
| Tachycardia, n (%) | 110 (42.6%) | 48 (49.0%) | 190 (41.8%) | .547 |
| Laboratory and imaging findings | ||||
| TSH, mIU/L | 0.02 (0.01-0.10) | 0.03 (0.01-0.14) | 0.02 (0.01-0.12) | .829 |
| FT4, pmol/L | 25.5 (20-37) | 23.6 (17.4-31.3) | 24.7 (17.4-34.5) | .273 |
| FT3, pmol/L | 7.1 (5.5-10.4) | 7.1 (5.8-9.3) | 6.9 (5.4-9.3) | .309 |
| FT4/FT3 ratio | 3.5 (2.9-4) | 3.2 (2.8-3.8) | 3.4 (2.9-4) | .258 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 44 (18.9-75) | 46 (18.7-84.8) | 43 (15.2-85.2) | .985 |
| ESR, mm/h | 50 (32-72) | 53 (31-71.5) | 56 (34.8-78) | .128 |
| WBC, ×109/L | 8.7 (7.2–10.6) | 8.6 (6.5–11) | 8.9 (7.3-10.4) | .589 |
| Anti-TPO positivity, n (%) (n = 617) | 23/190 (12.1%) | 4/79 (5.1%) | 32/348 (9.2%) | .210 |
| Anti-TG positivity (n (%) (n = 552) | 50/174 (28.7%) | 14/69 (20.3%) | 61/309 (19.7%) | .068 |
| TRAB positivity, n (%) (n = 194) | 2/83 (2.4%) | N/A | 5/111 (4.5%) | .659 |
| Ultrasonography (n = 774) | (n = 245) | (n = 93) | (n = 436) | |
| Heterogeneous parenchyma, n (%) | 177/245 (72.2%) | 71/93 (76.3%) | 310/436 (71.1%) | .586 |
| Hypoechoic areas, n (%) | 232/245 (94.7%) | 89/93 (95.7%) | 415/436 (95.2%) | .916 |
| Doppler (n = 367) | (n = 148) | (n = 38) | (n = 181) | .093 |
| Decreased vascularity, n (%) | 94 (63.5%) | 25 (65.8%) | 90 (49.7%) | |
| Thyroid scintigraphy (n = 117) | (n = 42) | (n = 16) | (n = 59) | .409 |
| Decreased scintigraphic uptake, n (%) | 40 (95.2%) | 15 (93.8%) | 53 (89.8%) | |
| Parameters (Q1-Q3 or %) . | Vac-SAT (n = 258) . | Cov-SAT (n = 98) . | Cont-SAT (n = 455) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex, n (%) | 71 (27.5%) | 34 (34.7%) | 117 (25.7%) | .195 |
| Age, y | 42 (36-49) | 41 (36-50) | 42 (37-49) | .643 |
| Thyroid disease, n (%) | 22 (9.3%) | 8 (8.2%) | 38 (8.4%) | .244 |
| Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, n (%) | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (1.0%) | 14 (3.1%) | |
| Nodular goiter, n (%) | 18 (7%) | 7 (7.1%) | 24 (5.3%) | |
| Inactive Graves, n (%) | 1 (0.4%) | N/A | N/A | |
| History of SAT, n (%) | 4 (1.6%) | 2 (2.0%) | 13 (2.9%) | .529 |
| Family history of thyroid disease, n (%) | 53 (20.5%) | 19 (19.4%) | 95 (20.9%) | .946 |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||||
| Never | 202 (78.3%) | 78 (79.6%) | 381 (83.7%) | .190 |
| Past | 21 (8.1%) | 10 (10.2%) | 23 (5.1%) | |
| Current | 35 (13.6%) | 10 (10.2) | 51 (11.2%) | |
| Symptoms | ||||
| Time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s), d | 20 (10-40) | 21 (5-39) | 13 (3-22) | < .001a,b |
| Duration of symptoms, d | 30 (20-48) | 30 (20-60) | 35 (20-50) | .303 |
| Neck pain, n (%) | 250 (96.9%) | 88 (89.8%) | 435 (95.6%) | .016a,c |
| Tenderness, n (%) | 235 (91.1%) | 85 (86.7%) | 400 (87.9%) | .160 |
| Swelling in the neck, n (%) | 117 (45.3%) | 49 (50%) | 168 (36.9%) | .064 |
| Fever, % | 94 (36.4%) | 42 (42.9%) | 170 (37.4%) | .696 |
| Sweating, n (%) | 101 (39.1%) | 43 (43.9%) | 163 (35.8%) | .732 |
| Tremor, n (%) | 69 (26.7%) | 24 (24.5%) | 96 (21.2%) | .466 |
| Weight loss, n (%) | 73 (28.3%) | 20 (20.4%) | 124 (27.3%) | .204 |
| Fatigue n (%) | 126 (48.8%) | 53 (54.1%) | 250 (54.9%) | .060 |
| Signs | ||||
| Goiter, n (%) | 57 (22.1%) | 23 (23.5%) | 92 (20.2%) | .965 |
| Tachycardia, n (%) | 110 (42.6%) | 48 (49.0%) | 190 (41.8%) | .547 |
| Laboratory and imaging findings | ||||
| TSH, mIU/L | 0.02 (0.01-0.10) | 0.03 (0.01-0.14) | 0.02 (0.01-0.12) | .829 |
| FT4, pmol/L | 25.5 (20-37) | 23.6 (17.4-31.3) | 24.7 (17.4-34.5) | .273 |
| FT3, pmol/L | 7.1 (5.5-10.4) | 7.1 (5.8-9.3) | 6.9 (5.4-9.3) | .309 |
| FT4/FT3 ratio | 3.5 (2.9-4) | 3.2 (2.8-3.8) | 3.4 (2.9-4) | .258 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 44 (18.9-75) | 46 (18.7-84.8) | 43 (15.2-85.2) | .985 |
| ESR, mm/h | 50 (32-72) | 53 (31-71.5) | 56 (34.8-78) | .128 |
| WBC, ×109/L | 8.7 (7.2–10.6) | 8.6 (6.5–11) | 8.9 (7.3-10.4) | .589 |
| Anti-TPO positivity, n (%) (n = 617) | 23/190 (12.1%) | 4/79 (5.1%) | 32/348 (9.2%) | .210 |
| Anti-TG positivity (n (%) (n = 552) | 50/174 (28.7%) | 14/69 (20.3%) | 61/309 (19.7%) | .068 |
| TRAB positivity, n (%) (n = 194) | 2/83 (2.4%) | N/A | 5/111 (4.5%) | .659 |
| Ultrasonography (n = 774) | (n = 245) | (n = 93) | (n = 436) | |
| Heterogeneous parenchyma, n (%) | 177/245 (72.2%) | 71/93 (76.3%) | 310/436 (71.1%) | .586 |
| Hypoechoic areas, n (%) | 232/245 (94.7%) | 89/93 (95.7%) | 415/436 (95.2%) | .916 |
| Doppler (n = 367) | (n = 148) | (n = 38) | (n = 181) | .093 |
| Decreased vascularity, n (%) | 94 (63.5%) | 25 (65.8%) | 90 (49.7%) | |
| Thyroid scintigraphy (n = 117) | (n = 42) | (n = 16) | (n = 59) | .409 |
| Decreased scintigraphic uptake, n (%) | 40 (95.2%) | 15 (93.8%) | 53 (89.8%) | |
Parameters presented as median and interquartile ranges (25%-75%) or percentage.
Abbreviations: Cont-SAT, classic subacute thyroiditis; Cov-SAT, COVID-19–related subacute thyroiditis; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FT3, free triiodothyronine; FT4, free thyroxine; N/A, not available; SAT, subacute thyroiditis; TG, thyroglobulin; TPO, thyroid peroxidase; TRAB, thyrotropin receptor antibody; TSH, thyrotropin; Vac-SAT, SARS-CoV-2 vaccine–related subacute thyroiditis; WBC, white blood cell.
P less than .05 is statistically significant.
According to post hoc tests, statistically significant difference was found between the pairs Cont-SAT/Cov-SAT (P = .001) and Cont-SAT/Vac-SAT in terms of the time between exposure to probable cause and onset of symptom(s) (P < .001).
According to post hoc tests, neck pain was statistically significantly lower in the Cov-SAT group than in the other groups (P = .005).
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