Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Dec;17(4):499-519.
doi: 10.1007/s11154-016-9357-0.

Hypothyroid myopathy: A peculiar clinical presentation of thyroid failure. Review of the literature

Alessandro Sindoni  1   2 , Carmelo Rodolico  3 , Maria Angela Pappalardo  3 , Simona Portaro  4 , Salvatore Benvenga  3   5   6
Affiliations
Review

Hypothyroid myopathy: A peculiar clinical presentation of thyroid failure. Review of the literature

Alessandro Sindoni et al. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Abnormalities in thyroid function are common endocrine disorders that affect 5-10 % of the general population, with hypothyroidism occurring more frequently than hyperthyroidism. Clinical symptoms and signs are often nonspecific, particularly in hypothyroidism. Muscular symptoms (stiffness, myalgias, cramps, easy fatigability) are mentioned by the majority of patients with frank hypothyroidism. Often underestimated is the fact that muscle symptoms may represent the predominant or the only clinical manifestation of hypothyroidism, raising the issue of a differential diagnosis with other causes of myopathy, which sometimes can be difficult. Elevated serum creatine kinase, which not necessarily correlates with the severity of the myopathic symptoms, is certainly suggestive of muscle impairment, though it does not explain the cause. Rare muscular manifestations, associated with hypothyroidism, are rhabdomyolysis, acute compartment syndrome, Hoffman's syndrome and Kocher-Debré-Sémélaigne syndrome. Though the pathogenesis of hypothyroid myopathy is not entirely known, proposed mechanisms include altered glycogenolytic and oxidative metabolism, altered expression of contractile proteins, and neuro-mediated damage. Correlation studies of haplotype, muscle gene expression and protein characterization, could help understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of this myopathic presentation of hypothyroidism.

Keywords: Creatine kinase; Hoffmann’s syndrome; Hypothyroidism; Koche– Debre’–Semelaigne syndrome; Myalgia; Rhabdomyolysis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Postgrad Med J. 1987 Aug;63(742):661-3 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Endocrinol. 1997 Mar;136(3):231-9 - PubMed
    1. Endocr Pract. 2008 Sep;14(6):726-31 - PubMed
    1. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2011;24(11-12):1099-101 - PubMed
    1. Rev Med Liege. 2007 Jul-Aug;62(7-8):484-6 - PubMed

Supplementary concepts

LinkOut - more resources