Autoimmune thyroid diseases in patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease

Clin Rheumatol. 2000;19(1):42-6. doi: 10.1007/s100670050009.

Abstract

Previous data have indicated that organ-specific and non-organ-specific autoimmune diseases may occur in the same patient. We report here our study on the type and prevalence of endocrine autoimmune diseases in undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD). A retrospective analysis revealed five out of 75 UCTD cases (6.6%) with cytology-verified autoimmune thyroiditis (associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in one case). Other UCTD patients had Graves' disease (one case), non-toxic multinodular goitre (two cases) and central hypothyroidism (one case). In a prospective study, thyroid function was evaluated in 15 consecutive UCTD patients with neither clinical nor laboratory signs of thyroid involvement. Basal and post-TRH stimulation TSH levels were significantly higher in UCTD patients than in healthy subjects.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / complications*
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / diagnosis
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / immunology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Iodide Peroxidase / immunology
  • Iron-Binding Proteins*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Thyroglobulin / immunology
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / blood
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / complications*
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / diagnosis
  • Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / immunology
  • Thyrotropin / blood

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Autoantigens
  • Iron-Binding Proteins
  • Thyrotropin
  • Thyroglobulin
  • TPO protein, human
  • Iodide Peroxidase