Prevalence of coeliac disease in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis in a Turkish population

To investigate the prevalence of coeliac disease in a series of Turkish patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Sera from 136 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed autoimmune thyroiditis and 119 healthy blood donors were tested for IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Endoscopic mucosal biopsy from the second part of duodenum was performed in patients with positive antibody test.

Eight patients (5.9%) and one control subject (0.8%) were positive for IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody (OR: 7.38, 95% CI: 0.91-59.85, P = 0.04). Six patients and one control agreed to take biopsies. Histopathological examination revealed changes classified as Marsh IIIa in one, Marsh II in one, Marsh I in two, and Marsh 0 in two patients with autoimmune throiditis, and Marsh I in one blood donor.

Turkish patients with autoimmune thyroiditis have an increased risk of coeliac disease and serological screening may be useful for early detection of coeliac disease in these patients. Our findings need to be confirmed in a larger series of patients.