[The clinical picture, hormonal disorders and humoral immunity in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis].

Altogether 93 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis were investigated. A great variability of the functional clinical symptomatology (from thyrotoxicosis up to manifest hypothyroidism) was revealed. Subclinical hypothyroidism was detected in a majority of patients. In some patients the clinical symptoms of thyrotoxicosis were combined with euthyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism basing on the findings of the hormonal investigation which should be taken into account while choosing therapeutic tactics. Patients with autoimmune thyroiditis demonstrated a preserved circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion. Adrenocorticotropin-zinc-phosphate testing has shown good functional adrenocortical reserves; cortisol secretion did not depend on thyroid function nor did it differ from the indicator in the control group.