Short-term Prednisone to Treat STA Study(SPTSS)

Comparing with the guidelines recommend, short-term (one week)prednisone and nsaids following up next week to treat moderate and severe subacute thyroiditis will be assessed.

The patients in wards will be assessed from temperature,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,C-reactive protein,local pain and goiter.The random treatment will be executed in moderate and severe SAT after informed consent be signed.

Subjects will be monitored once every 2 weeks.If patients complained of pain in their neck or if the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is still high,after discontinuation of prednisone, prednisone treatment will be resumed in moderate and severe subject and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will be used in mild subject.Anti-ulcer drugs will be administered to all patients.

The endpoint of the study are efficiency and safety of short-term prednisone treating. The investigators will assess adrenal insufficiency (such as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain),steroid withdrawal syndrome, recurrence rate and hypothyroidism. The investigators will observe erythrocyte sedimentation rate,pain,steroid level and thyroid function.

Inclusion criteria

• 18-70 years patients with Moderate and severe subacute thyroiditis

Exclusion criteria

• adrenal cortical dysfunction,
• use of corticosteroids in nearly three months,
• mild subacute thyroiditis,
• non-onset STA,
• family history of diabetes,
• gastric ulcer,
• the special medication history,
• heart，liver and renal insufficiency,
• tumors,
• tuberculosis and
• poor compliance.