Clinical characteristics of Graves disease associated cholestasis.

OBJECTIVES

A variety of causes can lead to cholestasis, however, cholestasis caused by Graves' disease is usually overlooked clinically. Here we analyze the clinical characteristics of Graves' disease associated cholestasis so as to have a better understanding for the disease.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected 13 inpatients' data who suffered from the Graves' disease associated cholestasis in the Department of Infectious Disease of Xiangya Hospital from January 2000 to December 2018. The characteristics of the patients' age, gender, liver function, thyroid function, coagulation function, the special cardiac examination, treatment, and follow-up data were analyzed.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients, including 10 males and 3 females with the age range from 33 to 55 (median 43) years old presented cholestasis, pruritus, and hypermetabolic symptoms. The levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), glutamic-pyruvic transferase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transferase, alkaline phosphosphatase, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase were 170.4-976.7 (median 388.8) µmol/L, 93.2-418.1 (median 199.2) µmol/L, 25.1-182.1 (median 106.4) U/L, 38.2-265.7 (median 59.7) U/L, 105.3-332.0 (median 184.5) U/L, and 20.7-345.1 (median 47.6) U/L, respectively. The levels of free triiodothyronine (FT), free thyroxine (FT), and thyrotrophin receptor antibody were 4.1-50.0 (median 21.6) pmol/L, 30.4-100.0 (median 87.9) pmol/L, and 4.2-40 (median 19.8) U/mL, respectively. All patients' coagulation function, heart size, and ejection fraction (EF) value were normal. After anti-thyroid treatment, the levels of FT, FT, and TBIL decreased. Through telephone interview, we were able to know that after 6 months of anti-thyroid treatment, the level of FT, FT, and TBIL in these patients returned to normal, and the itch symptom disappeared completely.

CONCLUSIONS

Graves' disease can cause cholestasis, with the low incidence. The symptoms of cholestasis can be improved or even eradicated with the cure of the Graves' disease. The cholestasis may be idiopathic. For patients with cholestasis and hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease should be considered for differential diagnosis.