Which are the forms of subacute thyroiditis?

• A. Postpartum; Painful (De Quervain's); Painless
• B. Postpartum; Subacute; Chronic
• C. Acute; Subacute; Chronic
• D. Autoimmune; Inflammatory; Rare

Answer: (A)

Subacute thyroiditis spans a few distinct clinical forms. The painful form, De Quervain’s thyroiditis, typically follows a viral illness and presents with a tender, enlarged thyroid and systemic symptoms; it is self-limited. There are painless forms as well, notably silent (lymphocytic) thyroiditis and postpartum thyroiditis, which often present without thyroid pain and can show a transient hyperthyroid phase followed by hypothyroidism and eventual recovery. Therefore, the forms recognized within subacute thyroiditis include postpartum thyroiditis, the painful De Quervain’s form, and the painless form. The other listings mix categories (like acute or chronic) or describe entities that aren’t part of the subacute spectrum, so they don’t fit as the forms of subacute thyroiditis.