Hashimoto's disease

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Hashimoto's disease (hash-i-moh-tohz) n. chronic thyroiditis due to the formation of autoantibodies against normal thyroid tissue. Its features include a firm swelling of the thyroid and partial or total failure of secretion of thyroid hormones; often there are autoantibodies to other organs, such as the stomach. Women are more often affected than men and the condition often occurs in families. [ H. Hashimoto (1881–1934), Japanese surgeon]