[Thyroid, ovarian and adrenal antibodies in female patients with autoimmune thyroiditis]

In patients with autoimmune thyroiditis confirmed by clinical and laboratory tests frequently complaints associated with ovarian disorders are encountered. In order to verify the polyclonal activation of the autoimmune response of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease the authors investigated the presence of autoantibodies against the thyroid and adrenals.

696 patients were selected (mean age 47.9 years) with autoimmune thyroiditis from a group of 1939 patients examined for the presence of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPO). In these patients also the presence of antibodies against ovaries was assessed (in 183 women, i.e. 26.3%), the adrenals (zona glomerulosa in 136 women, i.e. 19.5%, zona fasciculata in 10 women, i.e. 1.4%, zona reticularis in 114 women, i.e. 16.4%) and the adrenal medulla in 46 women, i.e. 6.6%. The basic group was divided into two sub-groups depending on the presence of ovarian antibodies. In the group of 183 women with positive antibodies against the ovaries and TPO positivity against the zona glomerulosa was found in 93 women, i.e. 50.8%, the zona fasciculata in 7 women, i.e. 3.8%, the zona reticularis in 70 women, i.e. 38.3%, the adrenal medulla in 37% i.e. 20.2%. In the second group of 513 patients with positive TPO and negative antiovarian antibodies against the zona glomerulosa were found in 43 women, i.e. 8.4%, zona fasciculata in 3 women, i.e. 0.6%, zona reticularis in 44 women, i.e. 8.6% and against the adrenal medulla in 9 women, i.e. 1.8%.

These results confirmed that in organ specific autoimmune thyroid disease also other autoantibodies against endocrine organs may be present, i.e. against the ovaries and adrenals. The relative frequency of a common finding of autoantibodies against organs which comprise steroid producing cells can be explained by the fact that for the ovaries and the adrenals a common antigen of steroid producing cells is typical.