Association of Anti-TPO Antibody and Inflammatory Markers with Thyroid Ultrasound Findings

The objective of this study was to evaluate the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism, with a particular emphasis on the anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibody and inflammatory biomarkers.

The study included 157 patients diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism, categorised into anti-TPO-positive and anti-TPO-negative groups. A retrospective comprehensive evaluation comprising demographic data, thyroid medication status, ultrasonographic characteristics, and laboratory parameters was conducted and statistically analysed between the groups.

Of 157 patients, 48.4% were anti-TPO positive. This group was significantly associated with increased levothyroxine (LT4) use and sonographic parenchymal heterogeneity. However, there were no significant differences in nodule presence, number, size, or structure. A positive correlation was found between anti-TPO and ferritin levels. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)/free T4 ratio and the solidity of nodules, as well as between TSH and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Surprisingly, a negative correlation was found between anti-TPO levels and the number of nodules, as well as the cystic characterisation of the nodules.

In our study, higher levels of anti-TPO and TSH were associated with inflammatory markers such as ferritin and NLR, suggesting a possible link with systemic inflammation. Furthermore, anti-TPO and the TSH/T4 ratio also showed associations with specific sonographic features of the thyroid gland.

TSH and anti-TPO levels might be associated with systemic inflammation and thyroid sonographic findings in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. More studies on larger patient populations should confirm the same results to suggest their clinical significance.