Italian researchers have examined the thyroids of dozens of patients who've recovered from moderate-to-severe cases of COVID-19. The study found evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection may trigger an inflammation of the gland in some patients. Whether that inflammation can cause long-term dysfunction is still unclear, however. … Muller's group noted that in the spring of 2020, 15% of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in ICUs at a medical center in Milan had changes in their thyroid hormones due to a number of causes, including thyroid inflammation.