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Journal List > Endocrinol Metab > v.27(2) > 1085943

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Park, Park, Suh, Kim, Kim, Park, Han, Ryu, Woo, Lee, and Yoon: A Case of Graves' Disease Presented as Generalized Seizure Attack
Case Report
Endocrinology and Metabolism

Endocrinology and Metabolism 2012; 27(2): 142-146.

Published online: 20 June 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2012.27.2.142

A Case of Graves' Disease Presented as Generalized Seizure Attack

So Young Park1, Su Kyoung Park1, Sung Hwan Suh1, Duk Kyu Kim1, Sang Ho Kim2, Mi Kyoung Park1, Song Yee Han1, Seung Hee Ryu1, Su Mi Woo1, Sung Woo Lee1, Neul Bom Yoon1

1Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

2Department of Neurology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Mi Kyoung Park. Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A Medical Center, Dong-A University College of Medicine, 26 Daesingongwon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan 602-715, Korea. Tel: +82-51-240-2815, Fax: +82-51-240-5852, pmk02@dau.ac.kr

Received 21 June 2011       Accepted 30 August 2011

Copyright © 2012 Korean Endocrine Society

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Hyperthyroidism is diagnosed when a patient is presented with typical symptoms, such as weight loss, palpitation, and hand tremor. However, early diagnosis is difficult in elders, because they have no typical symptoms, but only cardiovascular or muscular symptoms. In hyperthyroidism, there are often with neurologic changes, leading to various neurologic symptoms. Generalized or focal seizures are rarely reported in thyrotoxicosis and thyrotoxic crisis. Further, cases of hyperthyroidism presented as generalized seizure attack are extremely rare. We report a case of hyperthyroidism. A patient is presented at the hospital with mental change, as well as generalized seizure, who was finally diagnosed to have Graves' disease. A 56-year-old male was admitted to the hospital because of mental change with generalized seizure attack. Initial neurologic evaluations, including a brain magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram proved to be normal. But, thyroid function test showed abnormal results. We diagnosed him as Graves' disease and prescribed anti-thyroid drug. Thereafter, there has been no recurrence of neurologic symptoms for 12 months.

Keywords: Hyperthyroidism, Seizures, Thyrotoxicosis

Figures and Tables

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Fig. 1
Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Brain MRI shows no specific finding.

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Fig. 2
Electrocardiogram. Electrocardiogram shows sinus tachycardia.

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Fig. 3
Waking electroencephalogram. Electroencephalogram shows normal waves and there are no epileptiform discharges or localizing signs.

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Fig. 4
Neck ultrasound (US) thyroid gland. US shows diffuse enlargement with change of the multiple colloid cysts and internal colloid crystals in the both lobes. There is no evidence of abnormal lymph node enlargement of neck.

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Fig. 5
99mTc Thyroid scan. Scan shows diffuse enlargement of both thyroid glands and evenly increased uptake. This finding suggests a diffuse toxic goiter.

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