The prevalence of elevated serum C-reactive protein levels in inflammatory and noninflammatory thyroid disease

C-reactive protein (CRP) levels have not been routinely used to diagnose thyroid disease, although many thyroid conditions involve inflammation. This study was intended to determine whether CRP levels could differentiate between inflammatory and noninflammatory thyroid conditions, especially between type II inflammatory amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) and type I iodine-induced AIT. Serum high-sensitivity CRP levels were measured in 100 euthyroid controls (7 taking amiodarone) and 353 patients with one of the following thyroid conditions: AIT, subacute thyroiditis, toxic diffuse goiter, nodular goiter, Hashimoto's thyroiditis; short-term hypothyroidism, or postpartum thyroiditis. No patients with nontoxic multinodular goiter (n=34), toxic nodular goiter (n=23), or toxic diffuse goiter, either untreated (n=49) or euthyroid while taking methimazole (n=33), had positive CRP levels (>10 mg/L). The occurrence of positive CRP levels among patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n=35), short-term hypothyroidism (n=38), and postpartum thyroiditis (n=70) did not differ significantly from controls. The occurrence of positive CRP values did not differ significantly between patients with type I and type II AIT and controls. Six of 7 patients (86%) with untreated subacute thyroiditis had positive CRP levels (p<0.00001). These results indicate that there is only a limited role for measurement of CRP levels in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases other than subacute thyroiditis.