Background:
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder that can manifest with
multisystem involvement.
Neuropsychiatric
manifestations are well recognized; however, frank psychosis due to
hypothyroidism, known as myxedema psychosis, is rare. Because psychiatric
symptoms may dominate the clinical presentation, the underlying endocrine
disorder may remain undiagnosed for prolonged periods.
Case Presentation: We report the case of a 35-year-old female who presented with
suspicious behaviour for nearly 6–7 years, with significant worsening over the
previous 4–5 months. She developed auditory hallucinations, persecutory and
infidelity delusions, low mood, and progressive social withdrawal. There was no
history of substance abuse, seizures, or neurological illness. Physical
examination revealed pallor with stable vital signs. Mental status examination
showed psychomotor retardation, reduced speech output, dysphoric affect, and
second-person auditory hallucinations with preserved orientation. Laboratory
investigations revealed markedly elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (>100
µIU/mL) with low serum T3 and T4 levels. Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies
were markedly elevated, and ultrasonography of the neck demonstrated diffuse
thyroiditis, suggestive of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hemoglobin was 8.3 g/dL
with low ferritin levels consistent with iron deficiency anemia. Other routine
investigations were within normal limits.
Management and Outcome: A
diagnosis of psychotic disorder secondary to severe autoimmune hypothyroidism
was established. The patient was treated with levothyroxine replacement therapy
along with risperidone for psychotic symptoms and oral iron supplementation. At
three-month follow-up, there was marked clinical improvement with resolution of
hallucinations and significant improvement in mood, insight, and daily
functioning. Improvement in psychiatric symptoms paralleled normalization of
thyroid function tests. Conclusion:
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