A detailed analysis of thyroid disorders in autoimmune liver diseases

Abstract

Aims: Extrahepatic autoimmune diseases are frequently encountered in patients with autoimmune liver diseases (AILD). There is a very limited data in the literature on the incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases in AILD and the characterization of thyroid diseases in these patients. This study evaluated frequency and clinical features of thyroid disorders in AILD. Methods: We compared clinical and laboratory data and thyroid ultrasonography findings of 100 patients with AILD and 48 healthy controls. Results: The frequency of autoimmune thyroid disease and nodularity was higher in the AILD group compared to the control group (34 % vs 12.1 %; p<0.001 and 62 % vs 41.6%; p: 0.023 respectively). The number of nodules per patient was significantly higher in the AILD group than in the control group (1.37±1.3 vs 0.88±1.3; p=0.039). Hypothyroidism was detected in 17 patients (17%) with AILD (10 newly diagnosed). Only one patient had Graves' disease. Conclusion: In AILD, autoimmune thyroiditis are common. Thyroid pathologies are missed in most patients unless a careful and detailed examination is not performed. Thyroid ultrasonography should be performed in addition to laboratory investigations in the routine follow-up of patients with AILD.

Keywords

• Autoimmune thyroid disease
• autoimmune liver disease
• ultrasonography
• nodularity

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