HIGHLIGHT TSH receptor gene mutations and familial gestational hyperthyroidism

‘Gestational hyperthyroidism ’ is a clinical condition characterized by thyrotoxicosis and hyperemesis gravi-darum and generally occurs in 1–2 % of all normal pregnancies. It represents an extreme degree of morn-ing nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, accom-panied by weight loss, ketonemia, acetonuria, and profound volume depletion. Within the last decade, the association of abnormal thyroid function tests (suppressed thyrotropin (TSH) levels and high free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations) with hyperemesis gravidarum has been increasingly recognized and the severity of the hyperemesis has been linked to the biochemical severity of the hyperthyroid-ism (1–3), even though a precise correlation between these two conditions is still unclear