RESEARCH - Antithyroid antibodies and thyroid dysfunction in RA: prevalence and clinical value

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Autoimmunity. 2008 Feb;41(1):111-5.

Anti-thyroid antibodies and thyroid dysfunction in rheumatoid

arthritis: prevalence and clinical value.

Atzeni F, Doria A, Ghirardello A, Turiel M, Batticciotto A, Carrabba

M, Sarzi-Puttini P.

Rheumatology Unit, L Sacco University Hospital, Milan, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess thyroid function as

well as the prevalence and clinical value of anti-thyroid antibodies

in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Seventy patients

with active RA (ACR criteria), 9 males and 61 females, mean age 47

years (range 15-77) were analyzed. Anti-thyroperoxidase (TPOAb) and

anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) were tested using

radioimmunoassay. Free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3)

and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) serum levels were measured using

electro-immunochemiluminescence (ECLIA, Elecsys Roche). Clinical

variables, including tender and swollen joint count, erythrocyte

sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor

(RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP) and

antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were also evaluated. Statistics were

performed by the SPSS statistical software for Windows. RESULTS:

Twenty-six patients (37%) with RA were positive for TPOAb and 16 (23%)

for TgAb. In 5 (7.1%) patients TSH level was slightly elevated,

ranging between 4.52 and 15.65 UI/ml. The increase of TSH levels was

associated with normal FT4 in 3 cases (4.2%) and with reduced FT4 in 2

cases (2.8%). One patient (1.5%) had low TSH serum value along with

normal FT4. No differences in clinical and serological data between

anti-thyroid positive and negative patients were observed. CONCLUSION:

Our study shows an increased prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies in

RA patients with a low prevalence of hormonal alterations. However,

anti-thyroid antibodies do not seem to identify any peculiar RA

phenotype.

PMID: 18176873

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18176873

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