Overt thyrotoxicosis (i.e. defined as low TSH values with FT3 and/or FT4 above the reference ranges) was diagnosed in 31 of 58 patients with thyrotoxicosis (53.4%) and an inverse and robust relationship between serum TSH and IL-6 levels was recorded, supporting the hypothesis of an inflammatory-mediated damage to the thyroid gland [42]. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and thyrotoxicosis.