Thyroid and gastric autoimmune diseases.

OBJECTIVES

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is frequently accompanied by other organ-specific diseases. We investigated the frequency of the association AITD-Biermer's disease (BD) in patients with AITD by investigating the prevalence of intrinsic factor antibodies (IF-Ab).

DESIGN AND

METHODS

Sera from 113 patients with AITD (hypo- or hyperthyroidism) were screened for the presence of type I IF-Ab with a competitive automated immunoassay based. Matched sera from 113 patients with dysthyroidism (not AITD) were tested.

RESULTS

Four IF-Ab positive patients suffered from AITD. BD was known for two of them and strongly suspected in the two others. All patients with no AITD tested IF-Ab negative. B12 levels were often low whatever the etiology.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of IF-AbI is higher (3.5%) in patients with AITD. Prospective studies should investigate whether correcting thyroid dysfunction improves vitamin B12 levels, and establish whether routine screening for gastric autoimmunity is clinically useful or purely academic.