Abstract
Objective: Hashimoto thyroiditis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by antibodies against the thyroid gland. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio are parameters used to show inflammation. In this study, it was planned to evaluate systemic inflammation using neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio in children and adolescents with euthyroid Hashimoto thyroiditis.
Material and Methods: The neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratios of 72 patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis between the ages of 8-18 years, known to be in the euthyroid state for 6 months, were compared with 50 controls without known additional disease. Patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were also grouped among themselves as those who received and who did not receive levothyroxine treatment and those with a thyroid stimulating hormone level of <2.5 µU/mL or 2.5-5.0 µU/mL.
Results: Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was not different, but platelet/lymphocyte ratio was increased (138.61±44.28 vs 116.63±31.48, p = 0.003) in the Hashimoto thyroiditis group (mean age 13.87±2.88 years, 90.2% female). 61.2% (n = 44) of the cases were euthyroid with levothyroxine treatment and the rest were euthyroid without treatment since diagnosis. While there was no difference in neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratio according to the status of receiving levothyroxine treatment, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was found to be lower in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis with a thyroid stimulating hormone level of 2.5-5.0 µU/mL.
Conclusion: The increase in the platelet/lymphocyte ratio in children and adolescents with euthyroid Hashimoto thyroiditis, compared to the control group, suggests that the inflammation is not localized to the thyroid gland.