Myxedema coma is a rare but highly lethal endocrine emergency. It usually presents with altered mental status, hypotension, bradycardia, hypothermia, bradypnea, hyporeflexia, hyponatremia, and hypoglycemia, all resulting from a profound deficiency of thyroid hormones. Additionally, affected individuals may present with signs of low cardiac output, generalized edema, shock, pericardial and/or pleural effusion, and altered mental status (with or without coma). We present three cases of patients with myxedema coma and pericardial effusion, all with unusual clinical features.
References
[1]
Mathew, V., Misgar, R.A., Ghosh, S., Mukhopadhyay, P., Roychowdhury, P., Pandit, K., et al. (2011) Myxedema Coma: A New Look into an Old Crisis. Journal of Thyroid Research, 2011, Article ID: 493462. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/493462
[2]
Popoveniuc, G., Chandra, T., Sud, A., Sharma, M., Blackman, M.R., Burman, K.D., et al. (2014) A Diagnostic Scoring System for Myxedema Coma. Endocrine Practice, 20, 808-817. https://doi.org/10.4158/ep13460.or
[3]
Kruithoff, M.L. and Gigliotti, B.J. (2025) Thyroid Emergencies: A Narrative Review. Endocrine Practice, 31, 1310-1318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2025.06.010
[4]
Yepes, K.G., Montoya, G.A.J., González, C.C., Yepes, V.T., Thowinson, M.C. and Henao, N.A. (2022) Myxedema Coma: An Endocrine Emergency. Revista Colombiana de Endocrinología, Diabetes & Metabolismo, 9, 535-546. https://revistaendocrino.org/index.php/rcedm/article/view/662
[5]
Baldwin, C., Newman, J.D., Vallejo, F., Peck, V., Greene, L.W. and Goldberg, I.J. (2021) Myxedema Heart and Pseudotamponade. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 5, bvaa125. https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa125
[6]
Ramón, C.G.J., Sebastián, C.M.R., Rosalba, C.M.A. and Alberto, M.O.J. (2020) A Case Report of Hypothyroidism and Pericardial Effusion. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine, 9, 408-420. https://doi.org/10.4236/crcm.2020.912056
[7]
Roberto, E.S., Aung, T., Agarwal, A. and Colón, R.J. (2016) Differential Reversibility in Heart Failure Due to Hypothyroidism: A Series of Contrasting Cases with Review of Literature. International Journal of Case Reports and Images, 7, Article 1. https://doi.org/10.5348/ijcri-201601-cs-10062
[8]
Jonklaas, J., Bianco, A.C., Bauer, A.J., Burman, K.D., Cappola, A.R., Celi, F.S., et al. (2014) Guidelines for the Treatment of Hypothyroidism: Prepared by the American Thyroid Association Task Force on Thyroid Hormone Replacement. Thyroid?, 24, 1670-1751. https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2014.0028
[9]
Tammiraju, I.V.M.R. and Bhupathi, M. (2023) “All That Glitters Like Gold Is Not Good.” Pericardial Effusion with Cardiac Tamponade in Hypothyroidism. Indian Journal of Cardiovascular Disease in Women, 8, 215-219. https://doi.org/10.25259/ijcdw_3_2023
[10]
Karki, S., Rayamajhi, R.J., Shikhrakar, S., Shahi, S., Dhakal, B. and Khadka, M. (2021) Pericardial Effusion in Hypothyroidism: A Case Report. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 72, Article 102999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102999
[11]
Chahine, J., Ala, C.K., Gentry, J.L., Pantalone, K.M. and Klein, A.L. (2019) Pericardial Diseases in Patients with Hypothyroidism. Heart, 105, 1027-1033. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2018-314528
[12]
Trout, G.O., Hoz, R.D.L., Alfaro, L.M., Córdoba, A.P. and Consuegra, G.A. (2018) Manejo de derrame pericárdico: revisión sistemática de la literatura. Revista Colombiana de Cardiología, 25, 138-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rccar.2017.10.005
[13]
Buoso, C., Cavadini, M., Facondo, P., Anelli, V., Maltese, V., Bambini, F., et al. (2024) Myxedema Coma Secondary to Levothyroxine Malabsorption in a Patient Previously Submitted to Bariatric Surgery. Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 68, e230095. https://doi.org/10.20945/2359-4292-2023-0095
[14]
Kashiwagura, Y., Uchida, S., Tanaka, S., Watanabe, H., Masuzawa, M., Sasaki, T., et al. (2014) Clinical Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Levothyroxine Suppository in Patients with Hypothyroidism. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 37, 666-670. https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b13-00998