Endocrine Abstracts

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a group of inflammatory thyroid disorders with either hyperthyroid, euthyroid or hypothyroid state. The aim of this study is to detect the subclinical thyroiditis among the Egyptians type 1 diabetic patients and to study the relation of the thyroid antibodies to different metabolic control indices of diabetes. The study group consisted of 50 type 1 diabetic patients aged from 8 to 18 years. They were selected from the out-patient daily clinics of National Diabetes Institute (NIDE). The control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects comparable for age, sex and socioeconomic classes of study group. Both groups were having no signs or symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. They were subjected to the following: quantitative determination of free T₃ and free T₄ in serum, quantitative determination of TSH in serum, estimation of thyroid auto-antibodies using ELISA for the semiquantitative detection of thyroglobulin antibodies (TG-AB), and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-AB) or microsomal autoantibodies. The results of this study revealed that 1.5% of the type 1 diabetic patients were with strong positive of both thyroid auto-antibodies and the same percentage were for diabetic patients with strongly positive T-antibodies, while 22% were positive for M-antibodies. The number of diabetic patients, with weak positive TG-antibodies, were nine patients (18%) and 14 patients (28%) for TPO-Abs. While the weak positive results for both antibodies were six patients (12%). It could be concluded that thyroid antibodies should be done periodically for every type 1 diabetic patient. Patients with positive antibodies should be monitored for TSH elevation at yearly intervals.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.