Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hashimoto thyroiditis is the prominent face in thyroid diseases, and it is considered as an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system develops antibodies against thyroid peroxidase enzyme which has a role in thyroid hormone production. No treatment for hashimoto thyroiditis itself, only patients with low thyroid hormone with high TSH levels require treatment with thyroxin. It is known that about 25 genes converting data regarding selenoproteins are present in the human chromosomes, in which providing many functions to the human body. Thyroid gland has selenium content more than all other organs in the human body, which indicate a great value of selenium in thyroid metabolic processes(Also thyroid cells have considerable content of selenoproteins like deiodinase isozymes type 1 and 2. Selenium nutritional supplement by a dose of 200 mg daily for hashimoto thyroiditis patients to evaluate if it can decrease TPO antibodies and can improve thyroid function. Design: Randomized, controlled trial, 6 month trial.

Materials and methods: 100 patients with hashimoto thyroiditis disease were randomized into 2 parallel groups, had been monitored in a private clinic, number 50 each group, with 35 females and 15 males after the written consent of all patients. The first group was on eltroxin therapy and they received selenium nutritional supplement 200μg per day. The second group was only on eltroxin therapy.

Results: The results show a statistically significant decrease of TPO antibodies after 6 months of treatment with selenium and eltroxin. With P-value <0.0001 with 45 patients exhibited a significant reduction of anti-TPO antibodies and non-significant change in anti TPO antibodies level in the control group with P-value 0.9897 with only 3 patients exhibited a significant reduction of anti-TPO antibodies. The results also show a statistically significant decrease in TSH level in group 1 after treatment with eltroxin and selenium for 6 months with a P-value<0.0001. And also significant change in TSH levels in the control group with P-value<0.0001.

Conclusion: Selenium can improve thyroid gland function and may lead to hashimoto disease remission.