Case series / case reportcited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked★ key study A-VEG-07 in-depth review
Thyroid crisis after raw bok choy
Myxedema coma induced by ingestion of raw bok choy.
Overview
Chu M, Seltzer TF. N Engl J Med 2010 · PMID 20484407 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMc0911005
One elderly woman with extreme raw bok choy intake; no generalisation possible.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: very low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Report case
- How was the study done?
Case letter
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
1
- What was actually found?
Myxedema coma
- How large was the observed effect?
Not applicable
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Extreme intakes can matter.
- What are the study's limitations?
Single case
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Very weak
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Moderate
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cannot show risk at normal intake.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Chu M, Seltzer TF
- Journal
- N Engl J Med
- Year
- 2010
- Identifier
- PMID 20484407 DOI 10.1056/NEJMc0911005
- Verification
- verified – PubMed E-utilities efetch, 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
Report of a single case.
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Case series / case report – Case report (letter)
- Population
One patient
- Country
USA
- Period
Not stated
- Sample size
1
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Not applicable
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Large daily raw bok choy intake (per archive card)
- Comparator
None
- Endpoints
Myxedema coma
- Statistical methods
Not applicable
5. Actual results
- Results
No abstract in PubMed; details not verified by us.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Not available.
6. Strengths
- High-profile journal
7. Weaknesses
- Single case
- No abstract
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- not assessable
- Rationale
Case report.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Not applicable.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Weak support for C-VEG-10.
11. Independent contrary findings
Aune 2017.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Moderate.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Anecdotal.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | very low |
| Risk of bias | not assessable |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | indirect |
| Reproducibility | not replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | unknown |
| Regional transferability | moderate |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | partly correct but over-interpreted |
14. Open questions
Dose threshold.
15. Linked fact checks
- Raw cruciferous greens such as bok choy suppress the thyroid (glucosinolates) and can cause myxedema coma. – Studies supporting the claim
Use by the Tayebat archive
Note: according to the archive, the studies were compiled by the archive operators. Whether Dr. Elawady himself cited this study is not established.
- What the archive says about the study
An 88-year-old developed myxedema coma after daily large amounts of raw bok choy; glucosinolates blocked thyroid function.
- A. What was actually studied?
Single case.
- B. What did the authors find?
Not verifiable from abstract.
- C. What conclusions do the authors themselves draw?
Not verifiable.
- D. What does the archive derive from it?
Greens suppress the thyroid.
- E. Is this derivation scientifically justified?
A single extreme case cannot be generalised.
- Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)
- partly correct but over-interpreted