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Hashimoto's disease (chronic thyroiditis)

Chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease) is a slowly developing persistent inflammation of the thyroid, which frequently leads to hypothyroidism, a decreased function of the thyroid gland. Middle-aged women are most commonly affected.

Reviewed last on: 5/3/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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