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Presence of Thyroid Disorders in Patients with Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Rheumatic Diseases
Authors: Sibel Atalay1*, İbrahim Tekeoğlu2, Halil Harman2,3, M. Şevki Uyanık4
Number of views: 354
Association between rheumatological and thyroid disorders has been demonstrated by many studies. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid disorders in patients with autoimmune (ARD) and also autoinflammatory rheumatic disease (AIRD). We evaluated serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4), and titers of antithyroglobulin (TG-Ab) and antithyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab) antibodies in 298 patients with ARD and 363 patients with AIRD. We also recruited 137 age-matched controls. Ultrasonography (US) of the thyroid gland was performed in all subjects. Comparisons were done only among participants of the same gender. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) frequency was significantly more frequent in patients with ARD or AIRD in female population and also it was more frequent in patients with ARD in male population than in controls. In both female and male patients with ARD, mean TPO-Ab levels was lower than those receiving biologics than those receiving disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but difference was not significant. Receiving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) was more frequent in female patients with ARD and AIRD and also in controls than those not having HT. Our study shows a significantly higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in patients with ARD and AIRD as compared to controls. Female gender has an important role for HT diagnosis. We suggest that thyroid function tests should be a part of the clinical evaluation particularly in female patients and also male patients with ARD and AIRD.