Assessing the thyroid autoimmunity association with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Endocrinology
• Oral Medicine

Background:

• Autoimmune origins and abnormal immune responses, particularly T cell-mediated immunity, are implicated in oral mucosal conditions.
• Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common oral inflammatory condition with debated etiology.
• Autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATDs) represent a significant group of autoimmune disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATDs) in an Iranian population.
• To determine if patients with ATDs have a higher prevalence or frequency of RAS compared to healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 102 patients with ATD and 102 healthy controls.
• Data collection included history of RAS, demographics, systemic diseases, medications, and RAS recurrence frequency.
• Statistical analysis using chi-square, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U tests to compare RAS prevalence and characteristics between groups.

Main Results:

• Patients with ATD exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of RAS compared to healthy controls (P=0.040).
• The risk of RAS was 1.93 times higher, and the annual frequency was 3.15 times higher in ATD patients (P=0.011).
• RAS frequency was greater in hypothyroidism than hyperthyroidism, but lesion size and number did not differ significantly.

Conclusions:

• A significantly elevated risk and frequency of RAS were observed in patients with ATDs.
• These findings suggest a potential link between ATDs and RAS, warranting further investigation into underlying mechanisms.
• Understanding this association may inform novel therapeutic strategies for both conditions.