Development of Graves' disease from asymptomatic autoimmune thyroiditis: a case report.

We report herein a case of hyperthyroid Graves' disease developed from asymptomatic autoimmune thyroiditis (AAT). A 25-year-old single female with AAT was followed up for over 3 years. Thereafter her condition progressed to hyperthyroidism with both positive TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) and an increase in antithyroidal antibodies. It is possible that there was continuous destruction of thyroid epithelial cells without a hyperthyroid state, followed by production of TRAb, although Graves' disease very rarely develops from destructive thyroiditis including AAT.