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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of the thyroid gland Thyroid gland

Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system creates antibodies that damage your thyroid gland. Doctors don't know what causes your immune system to attack your thyroid gland. Some scientists think a virus or bacterium might trigger the response, while others believe a genetic flaw may be involved.

A combination of factors, including heredity, sex and age, may determine your likelihood of developing the disorder. Hashimoto's disease is most common in middle-aged women and tends to run in families.

Complications Symptoms
References
  1. Davies, TF. Pathogenesis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (chronic autoimmune thyroiditis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
  2. Frequently asked questions: Hashimoto's disease. US Department of Health & Human Services. http://www.4woman.gov/faq/hashimoto-thyroiditis.cfm. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
  3. Hashimoto's thyroiditis: Information for patients. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. www.aace.com/pub/thyroidbrochures/pdfs/Hashimoto.pdf. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
  4. Hashimoto's thyroiditis. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/hashimoto-4.html. Accessed Nov. 15, 2010.
  5. Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch152/ch152d.html. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
  6. Ross DS. Treatment of hypothyroidism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 16, 2010.
  7. Hashimoto's disease. The Hormone Foundation. http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Thyroid/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&pageid=1113. Accessed Nov. 17, 2010.
DS00567 Feb. 3, 2011

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