Sudden and unexpected death in a young thai female due to poorly controlled Graves' disease: A case report

Abstract

A 20-year-old well nourished woman was found dead suddenly and unexpectedly in her bedroom. According to her medical history, Graves' disease was diagnosed in August 2000 and the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis were poorly controlled. Autopsy and histology revealed diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland (125 g, diffuse hyperplastic goiter), pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly (440 g) without coronary artery occlusion or stenosis. The cardiac muscles showed interstitial fibrosis with hypertrophy of the myocardial fibers. The circumstances and scene of death as well as the detailed postmortem analysis indicated that thyroid crisis from Graves' disease was the cause of death. Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.