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Published on: February 9, 2024
Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus
Simone Appenzeller1, Ana T Pallone, Ricardo A Natalin
1Department of Internal Medicine, FCM, Rheumatology Unit-Faculty of Medical Sciences-State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Sao Paulo, Brazil. appenzellersimone@yahoo.com
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients show a high prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease and thyroid antibodies. Routine screening for thyroid conditions is recommended due to overlapping symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Endocrinology
- Immunology
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with diverse clinical manifestations.
- Autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATDs) are common, and their association with SLE warrants investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of ATD and thyroid autoantibodies in SLE patients.
- To explore the clinical relevance and associations of ATD in SLE.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical charts for 524 SLE patients.
- Comparison of ATD prevalence with 50 female controls.
- Statistical analyses including Chi-squared, Fisher exact, Mann-Whitney U, and Spearman rank correlation tests.
Main Results:
- Symptomatic ATD in 6.1% of SLE patients (predominantly hypothyroidism).
- Subclinical thyroid disease in 11.5% and positive thyroid autoantibodies in 17% of SLE patients.
- Thyroid autoantibodies preceded clinical ATD in 70% of cases; ATD associated with Sjögren syndrome and rheumatoid factor.
Conclusions:
- SLE patients exhibit a high prevalence of symptomatic and subclinical thyroid disease, along with positive thyroid autoantibodies.
- Thyroid autoantibodies can precede clinical ATD development.
- Routine screening for ATD in SLE patients is advisable due to overlapping symptoms and high comorbidity.
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