Prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in children with celiac disease and effect of gluten withdrawal.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To study the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) in Sardinian children with celiac disease (CD) and the effects of a gluten-free diet (GFD) on thyroid function.

STUDY DESIGN:

Children with biopsy-proven CD (n = 324; female:male 2:1; mean age, 6.6 years) followed from 1 to 15 years, were retrospectively evaluated for AT at onset of CD and during GFD. Serum thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies (AbTPO, AbTG), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid ultrasonography were considered. Age-matched Sardinian schoolchildren (n = 8040), previously evaluated for antithyroid antibodies and thyroid function, were used as controls.

RESULTS:

Thirty-four patients with CD (10.5%) developed AT (female:male 4,5:1; mean age, 10.5 years), 11 at onset of CD and 23 during GFD, with a higher prevalence than controls (P = 2.9(-13)). Twenty-eight patients were euthyroid and 6 hypothyroid. AbTPO and/or AbTG persisted elevated for 2 to 9 years despite the GFD in 9 of 11 patients with AT at onset of CD.

CONCLUSIONS:

AT is strongly associated with CD in Sardinian children, has an age of onset of 10.5 years, and appears to be gluten-independent. In children with CD with AT, the female:male bias reported in adult AT is present before puberty.

• Authors: Antonella Meloni, Chiara Mandas, Rita Désirée Jores, Mauro Congia
• Journal: The Journal of pediatrics (J Pediatr) Vol. 155 Issue 1 Pg. 51-5, 55.e1 (Jul 2009) ISSN: 1097-6833 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19324373 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Thyroglobulin
• Iodide Peroxidase

Topics

• Adolescent
• Autoantibodies (blood)
• Case-Control Studies
• Celiac Disease (diagnosis, diet therapy, epidemiology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diet, Gluten-Free
• Female
• Humans
• Hypothyroidism (epidemiology)
• Infant
• Iodide Peroxidase (immunology)
• Italy (epidemiology)
• Male
• Prevalence
• Puberty
• Retrospective Studies
• Sex Factors
• Thyroglobulin (immunology)
• Thyroiditis, Autoimmune (epidemiology)