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Basedow Disease

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

  • 31 Accesses

Synonyms

Diffuse toxic goiter; Flajani-Basedow disease; Graves’ disease

Definition

Basedow disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by an over-production of thyroid hormones and a diffuse volumetric enlargement of the thyroid gland. It is associated with hyperthyroidism and with extrathyroidal manifestations. The most frequent is a chronic inflammation of orbital soft tissues with exophthalmos and less commonly skin alterations can be present as accumulation of glycosoaminoglycans in particular areas as pretibial region (pretibial myxedema) (LiVolsi and Asa 2002).

Clinical Features

  • Incidence

    Basedow disease is one of the most common autoimmune disorders with an estimated prevalence of 0.4–1%. Annual incidence is about 20–25 per 100,00.

    The precise etiology is not known but both environmental and genetic factors play a role in its development. Iodine intake, stress, pregnancy, cigarettes smoking, microorganisms infections have been described as environmental risk factors. Basedow...

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References and Further Reading

  • Brown, T. R., Zhao, G., Palmer, K. C., & Sundick, R. S. (1972). Thyroid injury, autoantigen availability, and the initiation of autoimmune thyroiditis. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 12, 1–12.

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  • LiVolsi, L. A., & Asa, S. L. (2002). Endocrine pathology. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone.

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  • Nikiforov, Y. E., Biddinger, P. W., & Thompson, L. D. R. (2009). Diagnostic pathology and molecular genetics of the thyroid. A comprehensive guide for practicing thyroid pathology. Baltimore/Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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  • Prummel, M. F., Strieder, T., & Wiersinga, W. M. (2004). The environment and autoimmune thyroid diseases. European Journal of Endocrinology, 150, 605–618.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology-Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Pathology Unit, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Basolo Fulvio, Proietti Agnese & Ugolini Clara

Authors
  1. Basolo Fulvio
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  2. Proietti Agnese
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  3. Ugolini Clara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Basolo Fulvio .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

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Fulvio, B., Agnese, P., Clara, U. (2020). Basedow Disease. In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5058-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5058-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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