Article Text
Abstract
Background The association of rheumatic diseases and thyroid autoimmunity has been reported by several studies. It is known that autoimmune thyroid disease is more frequent in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases, also in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Data exist that the presence of antithyroid antibodies favor the onset of autoimmune thyroid disease. Discrepant results have been reported about the prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies in SSc patients.
Objectives To evaluate the prevalence of anti–thyroid peroxidase (aTPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (aTG) autoantibodies among the Polish one single-center group of SSc patients.
Methods We evaluated the presence of aTPO and aTG autoantibodies in serum of 107 consecutive patients with SSc (age 19-81 years; 89 women, 18 men; 57 with limited form of SSc and 40 with diffuse). The mean course of the disease was 5,15 years. In 44 SSc patients aTPO and aTG antibodies were evaluated in the first year of diagnosis. In 21 patients disease duration was longer than 10 years at the time of execution of the study.
Results In the whole studied group of SSc patients the presence of aTPO and/or aTG antibodies was found in a total number of 40 patients (prevalence 37,38%). aTPO antibodies were present in 34 patients (31,77%), aTG antibodies were present in 26 patients (24,29%). Both antibodies were positive in 19 (17,75%) SSc patient.
In the subgroup of 44 patients with newly diagnosed SSc the presence of aTPO was found in 22 patients (50,00%), the presence of aTG was found in 15 patients (34,09%), while the presence of aTPO and/or aTG was found in a total number of 23 patients (52,27%). Both antibodies were positive in 19 (43,18%) SSc patients.
Conclusions The study confirms the high prevalence of thyroid antibodies also in our polish group of SSc patients. The prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies was significantly higher in the subgroup of patients with newly diagnosed disease (52,2,27%) compared to the whole group SSc patients (37,38%).
Disclosure of Interest None declared