Autoimmune thyroid diseases in patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Autoimmune thyroid diseases are frequent in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AIT) in the different groups of patients with DM (DM type 1--classical form, DM type 1--subtype LADA, DM type 2) and compare the incidence of AIT among the groups as well as to the control group of non-diabetics. We also focused our attention on the factors that influence the risk of thyroid diseases incidence in diabetics.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

We examined 79 diabetics (38 women and 41 men, x = 55.4 +/- 2.8). Diabetic patients were divided into three groups. The control group consisted of 30 non-diabetics.

RESULTS

Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis was diagnosed in 8 (40%) patients in the first group, in 6 (50%) in the 2nd group of patients and finally in 20 (43%) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus--3rd group. A significantly higher prevalence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis was observed in female diabetics and in diabetics with positive family history of thyroid diseases.

CONCLUSION

Results of paper confirm an increased prevalence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with all types of diabetes mellitus resulting in recommendation of careful follow-up of all diabetic patients for presence of thyroid autoimmunity (Tab. 5, Ref, 13). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.