Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2015 Dec 05;17(12):e17298. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.17298. eCollection 2015 Dec.

The Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Iranian Red Crescent medical journal

Nakisa Rasaei, Mesbah Shams, Eskandar Kamali-Sarvestani, Mohammad Ali Nazarinia

PMID: 26756002 PMCID: PMC4706711 DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.17298

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease caused by immune system-mediated tissue damage. Autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) is an organ-specific disease associated with production of a variety of antibodies such as antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-Ro antibodies and anti-cardiolipin antibodies.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and thyroid auto-antibodies in patients with SLE and its relation to SLE disease and other autoantibodies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study. The study included a total of 88 patients with SLE and 88 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers as control group. Two study groups were compared regarding thyroid function test, antinuclear antibody (ANA), antibodies to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), anti- thyroglobulin antibody (anti-Tg), and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibody.

RESULTS: The mean age of SLE patients and controls were 32.16 ± 9.19 and 32.48 ± 9.47 years, respectively (P = 0.821). Patients had significantly higher prevalence (43.2% vs. 23.9%; P = 0.015) and titers (221.8 ± 570.5 vs. 78.2 ± 277.2; P = 0.036) of antibodies to Tg compared to controls. The patients had significantly lower titers of T3 compared to controls (125.2 ± 35.6 vs. 136.2 ± 26.5; P = 0.021). The titers of T4, TSH and anti-TPO antibody did not differ significantly between the two study groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid dysfunction was not higher in SLE patients compared to healthy individuals. However, anti-Tg antibodies were higher in SLE patients. It has not yet been established that thyroid function tests should be performed routinely in SLE patients.

Keywords: Antithyroid; Lupus Erythematosus Systemic; Thyroiditis Autoimmune Antibodies

References

1. Arthritis Rheum. 1987 Oct;30(10):1124-31 - PubMed
2. Ann Rheum Dis. 1986 Jul;45(7):579-83 - PubMed
3. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2001 Mar;40(3):353-4 - PubMed
4. Rheumatol Int. 2012 Jan;32(1):73-8 - PubMed
5. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;25(6 Suppl 47):107-13 - PubMed
6. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2015 Dec;83(6):943-50 - PubMed
7. N Engl J Med. 1994 Jun 30;330(26):1871-9 - PubMed
8. Scand J Rheumatol. 1995;24(1):13-7 - PubMed
9. Br J Rheumatol. 1987 Oct;26(5):359-61 - PubMed
10. Thyroidology. 1993 Apr;5(1):1-7 - PubMed
11. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 23;10(4):e0123291 - PubMed
12. Med Princ Pract. 2008;17(1):61-5 - PubMed
13. Lupus. 1999;8(8):586-95 - PubMed
14. J Rheumatol. 1991 Aug;18(8):1193-5 - PubMed
15. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Sep;63(9):1159-61 - PubMed
16. Ann Rheum Dis. 2002 Jan;61(1):70-2 - PubMed
17. Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Nov;26(11):1891-4 - PubMed
18. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1978 Jun;46(6):859-62 - PubMed
19. Br J Rheumatol. 1995 Apr;34(4):361-4 - PubMed
20. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2015 Dec;48(6):676-83 - PubMed
21. Med Clin North Am. 1986 Mar;70(2):337-53 - PubMed
22. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1995 Jul;43(1):55-68 - PubMed
23. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Oct;19(5):685-708 - PubMed
24. Clin Rheumatol. 2006 Mar;25(2):240-5 - PubMed
25. N Engl J Med. 2003 Oct 16;349(16):1526-33 - PubMed
26. J Clin Rheumatol. 2009 Apr;15(3):117-9 - PubMed
27. J Clin Lab Immunol. 1990 Jul;32(3):147-51 - PubMed
28. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2010 Oct;29(172):231-4 - PubMed
29. Metabolism. 2010 Jun;59(6):896-900 - PubMed

Publication Types

• Journal Article