[Current problems of pathogenesis of thyrotoxicosis].

According to current concepts, thyrotoxicosis should be regarded as an autoimmune disease in which signs of a delayed type of hypersensitivity are found. The functional excitation of the thyroid gland is caused and maintained by the appearance of lymphocytes sensitized for responding to autoantigens of thyrocytes and for production of thyrostimulating autoantibodies. The course of thyrotoxicosis is aggravated by the disorder of homeostatic mechanisms which normally oppose the hyperfunction of the thyroid gland and the effect of the excess of thyroid hormones. Thus in thyrotoxicosis the disorder of immune homeostasis is accompanied by desorganization of endocrine homeostasis.