Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Chronic autoimmune thyroid disease, the most common cause of hypothyroidism in developed countries. The immune system produces antibodies against thyroid tissues (anti-TPO and anti-thyroglobulin), causing chronic inflammation that progressively destroys thyroid cells. It mainly affects women (7:1 ratio) and can evolve in flares, with hypothyroidism phases and sometimes transient hyperthyroidism (hashitoxicosis). Nutritional factors (selenium deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, iodine excess) are associated with its triggering.