Endocrinology and Metabolism

Original Articles

Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Big Data Articles (National Health Insurance Service Database)
Risk and Risk Factors for Postpartum Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Korean Nationwide Cohort Study: Mi Jin Choi, Jimi Choi, Chae Weon Chung; Endocrinol Metab. 2022;37(1):112-123. Published online February 28, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2021.1276

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Background
There are differences in risk and risk factor findings of postpartum type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after gestational diabetes depending on study design and subjects of previous studies. This study aimed to assess these risk and risk factors more accurately through a population-based study to provide basic data for prevention strategies.
Methods
This open retrospective cohort included data of 419,101 women with gestational diabetes and matched 1,228,802 control women who delivered between 2004 and 2016 from the South Korea National Health Information Database of the National Health Insurance Service. Following 14 (median 5.9) years of follow-up, the incidence and hazard ratio (HR) of postpartum T2DM were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional regression models.
Results
The incidence and HR of postpartum T2DM in women with gestational diabetes (compared to women without gestational diabetes) after the 14-year follow-up was 21.3% and 2.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.74 to 2.82), respectively. Comorbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m²) increased postpartum T2DM risk 7.59 times (95% CI, 7.33 to 7.86). Significant risk factors for postpartum T2DM were fasting glucose level, BMI, age, family history of diabetes, hypertension, and insulin use during pregnancy.
Conclusion
This population-based study showed higher postpartum T2DM risk in women with gestational diabetes than in those without, which was further increased by comorbid obesity. BMI and fasting glucose level were important postpartum risk factors. The management of obesity and glycemic control may be important strategies to prevent the incidence of diabetes after delivery.

Citations

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Pregnancy with multiple high-risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yue Zhang, Weijie Ding, Tingting Wu, Songtao Wu, Hui Wang, Muhammad Fawad, Akilew Awoke Adane, Xiaochen Dai, Xiaoqin Zhu, Xiaolin Xu
Journal of Global Health.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Effect of 52-week liraglutide treatment on diabetes risk and glycaemic control in women with obesity and prior gestational diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Roosa Perämäki, Meri-Maija Ollila, Janne Hukkanen, Marja Vääräsmäki, Jukka Uotila, Saara Metso, Heidi Hakkarainen, Reeta Rintamäki, Eliisa Löyttyniemi, Heidi Immonen, Risto Kaaja
Obesity Medicine.2025; 54: 100596. CrossRef
Association between protein intake and sources in mid-pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus
Rui Wang, Xingyi Jin, Jian Zhu, Xiaocheng Li, Jian Chen, Chunyan Yuan, Xiaoli Wang, Yufeng Zheng, Shaokang Wang, Guiju Sun
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Factors influencing healthy dietary behavior changes among patients with gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy: A meta‐synthesis using the theoretical domains framework
Qianqian Li, Yueshuai Pan, Yi Li, Ruting Gu, Jingyuan Wang, Yan Zhang, Xinwei Zhang, Yuan Zhu, Lili Wei
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Antenatal factors and risk of postpartum hyperglycemia in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A central India prospective cohort study
Nilajkumar Bagde, Madhuri Bagde, Vijayalakshmi Shanbhag, Pragati Trigunait, Nagma Sheikh, Sarita Agrawal
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.2024; 13(1): 59. CrossRef
Changes in the Epidemiological Landscape of Diabetes in South Korea: Trends in Prevalence, Incidence, and Healthcare Expenditures
Kyoung Hwa Ha, Dae Jung Kim
Endocrinology and Metabolism.2024; 39(5): 669. CrossRef
Prevalence and risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Kaiqi Chen, Lichao Tang, Xinwei Wang, Yunhua Li, Xijian Zhang, Shikui Cui, Wei Chen, Zhao Jin, Danping Zhu
Frontiers in Endocrinology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Integration of nutrigenomics, melatonin, serotonin and inflammatory cytokines in the pathophysiology of pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence in women with gestational diabetes mellitus
Danielle Cristina Honorio França, Eduardo Luzía França, Luis Sobrevia, Angélica Mércia Pascon Barbosa, Adenilda Cristina Honorio-França, Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease.2023; 1869(6): 166737. CrossRef
Risk factors associated with early postpartum glucose intolerance in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhe Liu, Qianghuizi Zhang, Leyang Liu, Weiwei Liu
Endocrine.2023; 82(3): 498. CrossRef

Clinical Study
Vitamin D Deficiency at Mid-Pregnancy Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Postpartum Glucose Intolerance in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Kyung-Soo Kim, Seok Won Park, Yong-Wook Cho, Soo-Kyung Kim; Endocrinol Metab. 2020;35(1):97-105. Published online March 19, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2020.35.1.97

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Background

To evaluate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) at mid-pregnancy and postpartum glucose intolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

We enrolled 348 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM from August 2012 to October 2016. We measured serum 25(OH)D levels at mid-pregnancy and carried out a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 6 to 12 weeks after delivery. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL.

Results

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 76.7% (n=267). Women with vitamin D deficiency had a higher prevalence of postpartum glucose intolerance than did those without vitamin D deficiency (48.7% vs. 32.1%, P=0.011). Serum 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with hemoglobin A1c at antepartum and postpartum period (antepartum: r=−0.186, P=0.001; postpartum: r=−0.129, P=0.047). Homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function was positively correlated with serum 25(OH)D level only postpartum (r=0.138, P=0.035). The risk of postpartum glucose intolerance was 2.00 times (95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 3.55) higher in women with vitamin D deficiency than in those without vitamin D deficiency (P=0.018).

Conclusion

In women with GDM, vitamin D deficiency at mid-pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of postpartum glucose intolerance.

Citations

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Evaluating the effect of vitamin D 3 fortification on physicochemical and sensory properties of yogurt
Saneela Saleem, Zahra Khan, Imtiaz Hussain, Faran Khan, Fahad Al-Asmari, Faima Atta Khan, Alyan Ali Zafar, Muhammad Abdul Rahim, Zongo Eliasse, Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan
Cogent Food & Agriculture.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Predictive Utility of Biochemical Markers for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Sathaphone Inthavong, Phudit Jatavan, Theera Tongsong
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2024; 25(21): 11666. CrossRef
Relationship between vitamin D deficiency and gestational diabetes: a narrative review
Caiqiong Lin, Haiwei Liu
Frontiers in Endocrinology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Vitamin D Supplementation for the Outcomes of Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Neonates: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Chunfeng Wu, Yang Song, Xueying Wang, Pier P. Sainaghi
International Journal of Clinical Practice.2023; 2023: 1. CrossRef
Influence of hypovitaminosis D during pregnancy on glycemic and lipid profile, inflammatory indicators and anthropometry of pregnant and newborn
Sara de Figueiredo dos Santos, Paula Normando dos Reis Costa, Thaise Gasser Gouvêa, Nathalia Ferreira Antunes de Almeida, Felipe de Souza Cardoso
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.2023; 54: 81. CrossRef
Risk factors associated with early postpartum glucose intolerance in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhe Liu, Qianghuizi Zhang, Leyang Liu, Weiwei Liu
Endocrine.2023; 82(3): 498. CrossRef
Postprandial Free Fatty Acids at Mid-Pregnancy Increase the Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Newborns in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
So-Yeon Kim, Young Shin Song, Soo-Kyung Kim, Yong-Wook Cho, Kyung-Soo Kim
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal.2022; 46(1): 140. CrossRef
Effect of Evidence-Based Diet Nursing on Intestinal Flora and Maternal and Infant Prognosis in Patients with Gestational Diabetes
Ying Jiang, Chunbo Qiu, Yuanping Wang, Bin He, Peng-Yue Zhang
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.2022; 2022: 1. CrossRef
Vitamin D in gestational diabetes: A broadened frontier
Yu Zhu, Ling Li, Ping Li
Clinica Chimica Acta.2022; 537: 51. CrossRef
The Clinical Characteristics of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Korea: A National Health Information Database Study
Kyung-Soo Kim, Sangmo Hong, Kyungdo Han, Cheol-Young Park
Endocrinology and Metabolism.2021; 36(3): 628. CrossRef
Fetal Abdominal Obesity Detected At 24 to 28 Weeks of Gestation Persists Until Delivery Despite Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (Diabetes Metab J 2021;45:547-57)
Kyung-Soo Kim
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal.2021; 45(6): 966. CrossRef

A Clinical Study of Postpartum Autoimmute Thyroiditis.: Hee Jin Kim, Yeon Ah Sung, Nan Ho Kyung; J Korean Endocr Soc. 1996;11(3):302-310. Published online November 7, 2019

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Abstract PDF: Background
Postpartum thyroiditis is a painless, destructive lymphocytic inflammation of the thyroid gland that occurs during the postpartum period and is associated with a high prevalence of serum thyroid autoantibodies. Clinical symptoms and laboratory fi#ndings of postpartum thyroiditis vary widely during the course of illness and the final outcome of this disease remains unpredictive in some patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical course and the predictors of the outcome of the disease. Methods: Thirty-eight patients proven to have postpartum thyroiditis at the Ewha Womans University Hospital were studied. We analyzed their clinical features, laboratory findings and duration of recovery to characterize the course of the disease. Results: Their mean age was 29.0±3.3 years and the time of diagnosis was 4.9±1.9 months after delivery. The prevailed months of delivery were November through January in this study. Twenty six patients were hypothyroid and 12 were thyrotoxic at initial thyroid function. The positive rates of antithyroglobulin and anitmicrosomal antibodies were 92%, 67% in the hypothyroid group and 75%, 67% in th thyrotoxic group respectively. TSH receptor antibodies were negative in all patients. In the hypothyroid group the titers of antimicrosomal antibodies were significantly higer than the thyrotoxic group. The titers of antimicrosomal antibodies were positively correlated with serum TSH and negatively correlated with serum T4. In all patients, the titers in thyroid function tests returned to the normal range without long-term hypothyroidism. Conclusion: The titers of antimicrosomal antibodies were significantly higher in the hypothyroid group than the thyrotoxic group. Thus the titers of antimicrosomal antibodies can help guide the physician in the care of patients with postpartum thyroiditis who will probably be hypothyroid. In this study, we were surprised that all patients became euthyroid without permanent hypothyroidism.

Case Reports

A Case of Diabetes Insipidus in Patient with Sheehan's Syndrome.: Hye Young Park, Moon Ho Kang, Sung Gwang Lee, Jung Ho Youn, Yeoung Sook Kang, Deuk Jo Kim, Yun Young Choi, Hee Young Hwang; J Korean Endocr Soc. 1996;11(1):108-113. Published online November 7, 2019

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Abstract PDF: Sheehans syndrome is a known complication of pregnancy, It was described as a syndrome of hypopituitarysm due to acute ischemic necrosis of the anterior pituitary gland secondary to severe postpartum bleeding and shock. The neurophysis is usually preserved. But it can be involved in severe cases manifesting as diabetes insipidus. Because of its rare coexistence with Sheehans syndrome, diabetes insipidus is seldom recognized as a potential postpartum complication. The report describes a patient who developed Sheehans syndrome and diabetes insipidus immediately following delivery. Diabetes insipidus resolved spontaneously after 15 months, while panhypopituitarysm is persistent.

Spontaneous Pregnancy and Delivery in a Patient with Sheehan's Syndrome.: Young Kwang Choo, Won Sang Yoo, Do Hee Kim, Hyun Kyung Chung, Hee Jin Kim; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2009;24(2):121-125. Published online June 1, 2009; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/jkes.2009.24.2.121

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Abstract PDF

Sheehan's syndrome is postpartum hypopituitarism due to the necrosis of the pituitary gland. It is usually the result of severe hypotension or shock caused by massive hemorrhage during or after delivery. Patients with Sheehan's syndrome have varying degrees of anterior pituitary hormone deficiency. They are accompanied with amenorrhea and ovulation dysfunction, and so they rarely get pregnant naturally. Ovulation induction is necessary if these patients desire to become pregnant. However, spontaneous pregnancy may be possible in some patients who have a preserved gonadotrophin reserve. We experienced a case of 29-year-old woman who was diagnosed Sheehan's syndrome 20 months after delivery and we medicated her with prednisolone and thyroxine. She got pregnant spontaneously after 18 months of hormone replacement therapy although she had amenorrhea and irregular menstrual cycles. She successfully delivered a baby by cesarean section. Here we report on this case with a review of the relevant literature concerned with pregnancy and Sheehan's syndrome.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Acute Sheehan’s Syndrome Associated with Postpartum Hemorrhage
Deokkyeong Kim, Jiwon Min, Yun-Sook Kim, Aeli Ryu
Soonchunhyang Medical Science.2017; 23(1): 65. CrossRef

A Case of Sheehan's Syndrome Presenting Central Diabetes Insipidus.: Dong Jin Kim, Nan Hee Kim, Ju Ri Park, Sae Jeong Yang, Hye Suk Kim, Hye Jin Yoo, Soo Yeon Park, Ohk Hyun Ryu, Kye Won Lee, Hee Young Kim, Ji A Seo, Sin Gon Kim, Kyung Mook Choi, Sei Hyun Baik, Dong Seop Choi; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2006;21(4):333-337. Published online August 1, 2006; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/jkes.2006.21.4.333

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Abstract PDF: Sheehan's syndrome occurs as a result of ischemic pituitary necrosis due to severe postpartum hemorrhage. The manifestations of this clinical syndrome are most often caused by a deficiency in the hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland, whereas the neurohypophysis is usually preserved but can be involved in severe cases that manifest as diabetes insipidus. This is a report of Sheehan's syndrome that manifested with diabetes insipidus as presenting symptom 2 month's after delivery. The patient suffered massive bleeding, so received a blood transfusion. A combined pituitary stimulation and water deprivation test revealed deficiencies of not only anterior pituitary hormones, such as growth hormone and prolactin, but also of anti-diuretic hormone. We report this case, with a review of the literature.

Original Articles

The Postpartum Recurrence of Graves'Disease and its Contributing Factors.: Chang Hoon Yim, Hyun Ah Choi, Seung Suk Han, Hae Sung Kim, Chang Uk Lee, Ho Yeon Chung, Ki Ok Han, Hak Chul Jang, Won Keun Park, Hyun Ku Yoon, In Kwon Han; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2002;17(2):189-196. Published online April 1, 2002

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Pregnancy affects the course of Graves' Disease (GD), and patients who initially maintain euthyroid function into their middle trimester with minimum doses of antithyroid drugs become exacerbated after delivery. Even patients who are completely cured, requiring no treatment during pregnancy, can relapse after delivery. In this study, we examined the postpartum changes in the thyroid functions of patients with GD, and attempted to determine the factors contributing to these changes. METHODS: The study subjects were recruited from pregnant women visiting our outpatient clinic for routine prenatal evaluations. 45 women previously diagnosed with GD, who had been treated and cured with hyperthyroidism, and were no longer taking any thyroid medications, were evaluated for 1 year post delivery. RESULTS: Among 45 patients, 20 (44.4%) developed thyroid disorders following delivery. Postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) developed in 8 patients (17.8%), and GD developed in 12 (26.0%). The onset of the PPT disease 3.1 +/- 1.4 months following delivery, which was significantly earlier than the 6.7 +/- 2.7 months required for the post delivery onset of GD (p=0.003). The TBII values, measured during the thyrotoxic state in each womaen, were negative in women with PPT and positive in 71.4% of women with GD (p=0.030). The duration of treatment for hyperthyroidism prior or pregnancy, the number of recurrences, and the time interval without treatment, were not associated with the development of postpartum thyroid disorders. Whereas, the mean number of past pregnancies for women who developed PPT was 3.9 +/- 2.1, and was significantly higher than the 2.2+/- 1.7 for women developing no thyroid dysfunctions (p=0.044). In 13 women their initial onset of GD occurred within one year postpartum, 7 (53.8%) having had a recurrence, which was significantly higher than in women whose disease onset occurred unrelated to delivery (5 of 32 women: 15.6%). CONCLUSION: Women with GD developed postpartum thyroid dysfunctions in 44.4% of cases. Women whose initial disease onset occurred within one year postpartum had higher recurrences of GD, and women who developed PPT had a history of higher gravidity compared to the euthyroid women postpartum. Therefore, if women with GD develop postpartum thyroid dysfunctions, the diagnosis should be made, and a treatment modality planned, following careful considerations of the patients' past obstetric history, changes in clinical manifestations and the TBII values.

Differential Diagnostic Value of TSH Receptor Antibody Measurements in Thyrotoxic Postpartum Patients with History of Graves' Disease.: Seong Jin Lee, Yun Ey Chung, Ha Young Kim, Jung Hee Han, Jong Chul Won, Ahm Kim, Jin Sook Ryu, Dae Hyuk Moon, Il Min Ahn; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2001;16(1):75-84. Published online February 1, 2001

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
It is known that pregnancy markedly influences the clinical course of autoimmune thyroid diseases. In the postpartum period, various kinds of autoimmune thyroid dysfunctions can be observed. Thyroid dysfunction is found in 5.5-7.1% of postpartum women in the general population. Among those who show thyroid dysfunction after delivery, some will develop Graves' disease and others will develop postpartum thyroiditis. It is also known that patients with Graves' disease may manifest thyrotoxicosis in the postpartum period because of postpartum thyroiditis or relapse of the Graves' disease itself. We evaluated the clinical features of postpartum thyrotoxicosis in Graves' disease patients to find diagnostic indices that could be used in differentiating between postpartum thyroiditis and relapse of Graves' disease. METHOD: We reviewed the cases with postpartum thyrotoxicosis in patients that had a history of Graves' disease between 1995 and 2000. The diagnosis of postpartum thyroiditis had been made by means of a 99mTc thyroid scan or by the observation of a typical triphasic thyroid function change, in cases where a 99mTc thyroid scan was not possible because of breast feeding. We measured the serum TSH, free T4, free T3, TSH binding inhibiting immunoglobulin (TBII), anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody, and anti- thyroglobulin (Tg) antibody serially from the time of the diagnosis of Graves' disease to the time of postpartum thyroid dysfunction. RESULTS: Eleven patients, 5 patients in the postpartum thyroiditis (PPT group) and 6 patients with relapse of the Graves' disease (GD group), were identified. The mean values of TBII of two groups at the time of diagnosis of Graves' disease were 40.9+/-4.8 IU/mL (PPT group), 58.9+/-23.5 IU/mL (GD group) respectively, which were insignificant. The mean values of TBII of the two groups at early pregnancy were 3.2+/-1.9 IU/mL (PPT group), 41.6+/-22.6 IU/mL (GD group) and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.009). The mean values of TBII of the two groups at the time of postpartum thyrotoxicosis were 1.9+/-1.6 IU/mL (PPT group), 51.5+/-23.2 IU/mL (GD group) which were also statistically significant (p=0.003). The mean values of anti-TPO antibody, anti-Tg antibody, disease duration, and treatment duration between the two groups were not significantly different. The onsets of thyroid dysfunction after delivery in the two groups were 2.6+/-2.0 (PPT group), 4.0+/-3.9 (GD group) months which were statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the measurement of TBII at the time of the postpartum thyrotoxic period, could help to differentiate postpartum thyroiditis from a relapse of Graves' disease in those patients that have a history of Graves' disease especially when thyroid scan is not possible because of breast feeding.

The Combined Pituitary Stimulation Test in Patients Suffered from Massive Postpartum Hemorrhage.: Sang Hwa Kim, In Myung Yang, Cheol Young Park, Seung Joon Oh, Deog Yoon Kim, Jeong Taek Woo, Sung Woon Kim, Jin Woo Kim, Young Seol Kim, Sun Woo Kim, Young Kil Choi; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2001;16(1):39-53. Published online February 1, 2001

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
ackground: Sheehan's syndrome secondary to severe postpartum hemorrhage is one of the major causes of pituitary insufficiency in Korea. Most of these patients do not manifest symptoms or signs of gross endocrinopathies. Earlier detection of pituitary insufficiency is of clinical importance. The combined pituitary stimulation test that uses the four hypothalamic releasing hormones is a rapid, safe, and effective way to evaluate anterior pituitary function. However, the criteria for a normal response has not been established in Korea. METHODS: Combined anterior pituitary stimulation tests were performed on fourteen healthy women who had no history of endocrine disease. Combined tests of anterior pituitary reserve were done no forty-five patients who suffered from massive postpartum hemorrhage which required transfusing, along with subsequent shock or changing consciousness and in thirty-nine patients who experienced mild postpartum hemorrhage. RESULTS: 1) In the severe hemorrhage group, thirty-three of forty-five women (73.3%) showed blunted responses in more than one of the anterior pituitary hormones in the combined pituitary stimulation tests. However, in the mild hemorrhage group, only eighteen of thirty-nine women (46.2%) demonstrated blunted responses of more than one of the anterior pituitary hormones. 2) In the severe hemorrhage group, the TSH response was blunted in twenty-five patients (55.6%), prolactin in eleven patients (24.4%), ACTH in ten patients (22.2%), LH in ten patients (22.2%), GH in nine patients (20%), and FSH in five patients (11.1%). 3) The results of combined pituitary stimulation tests in the normal control group were different from the results of other studies. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the women who experienced a severe postpartum hemorrhage should be evaluated by using the combined pituitary stimulation test. Moreover, criteria for a normal response to the combined pituitary stimulation test should be established in Korea.

The Incidence of Postpartum Thyroiditis and Effect of High Iodine Intake on it in Korean Women.: Won Bae Kim, Chang Hoon Yim, Kyung Soo Park, Byoung Sool Moon, Jae Hoon Lee, Hye Won Jun, Ho Jun Jin, Sung Yeon Kim, Bo Yeon Cho, Hong Gyu Lee; J Korean Endocr Soc. 1998;13(3):339-350. Published online January 1, 2001

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Postpartum thyroiditis(PPT) is one of syndromes of thyroid dysfunction that occurs in the first year after parturition. Reported incidence of PPT is 3.9-8.2% of postpartum women in several studies from different countries. The fact that 52-100% of patients with PPT have thyroid autoantibodies, and that lymphocytic infiltration of thyroid gland is the characteristic pathological feature of PPT suggest that PPT is an autoimmune disease. High iodine intake in short term period is known to aggrevate the experimental autoimmune thyroiditis. This study was performed to investigate the incidence and clinical features of PPT in Korean postpartum women who usually ingest excessive amount of idine in immediate postpartum period and to investigate the predictive value of thyroid autoantibodies in the development of PPT in them. METHOD: Between March 1996 and February 1997, 99 women without previous history of any thyroid disease who delivered babies at Boramae hospital were enrolled. Thyroid function parameters(T3, T4, free T4, TSH), thyroid autoantibodies(anti-microsomal antibody, anti-thyroglobulin antibody) and urinary iodine excretion were measured prospectively before and 1, 3 months after delivery. Dietary iodine intake during postpartum period was evaluated by questionnaire, and clinical parameters were followed up. RESULTS: During 3 months of observation, PPT developed in 8.1%(8/99) of postpartum women. Five cases had typical course having thyrotoxic phase and the other 3 cases had hypothyroid phase without toxic phase. However, only one of those required thyroid hormone replacement therapy in the latter group. There were no differences in age, baseline thyroid function parameters, parity, percent cases with family history of thyroid disease between those developed PPT (n=8) and those did not develop PPT(n=91). Duration of high iodine intake(3.8 +- 0.5 wk. vs. 3.7 +- 0.8 wk., p>0.05), total ingested amount of high iodine diet(77 +- 28 vs. 79 +- 24 bowels of miyokguk, p)0.05), and the urinary iodine excretion(1.9 +- 1.4 mg/g creatinine vs. 3.7 +- 3.7mg/g creatinine, p0.05) at 1 month postpartum were not different between two groups. Of 99 total subjects, anti-microsomal antibody(AMA) was present in 13.1%(13/99) before delivery in their sera. Positive predictive value of the presence of AMA before delivery in predicting the development of PPT was 30.8%. CONCLUSION: The fact that incidence of PPT in normal Korean postpartum women who usually have high iodine intake in immediate postpartum period is not higher than those of other countries, and that there was no difference in the amount of iodine intake between those developed PPT and those did not suggest that high iodine intake in immediate postpartum period do not influence on the incidence of PPT. The presence of AMA before delivery had low specificity in prediction of development of PPT, so the measurement of AMA seems not to be a useful screening test.

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