RESUMO
Several researchers believe that thyroid autoimmunity is more prevalent in patients with hepatitis C than in the general population, however this is still a controversial issue. The aim of the current study was to determine 1] the frequency of thyroid autoantibodies, 2] the frequency of thyroid dysfunction, 3] correlation of thyroid autoantibodies and dysfunction with demographic and clinical variables, in patients with chronic hepatitis C. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 patients with chronic hepatitis C; patients were selected by simple non sampling from patients referring to the Tehran Hepatitis Center in 2003 and 2004. Demographic data [age, sex, educational level, job] and clinical variables [including risk factors, liver enzymes, liver histopathology, HCV RNA viral load], were obtained. Anti Thyronin [TPO Ab, 124], Anti thyroglobulin [TG Ab, n=117], TSH [n=239], T3 [n=242], T4 [n=245], T3RU [n=134] was tested. TPO Ab and TG Ab were seen in 4% and 3.4% respectively. 1.2% had the history of thyroid diorders. 4 subjects had thyrotoxicosis, 1 subject had Hashimoto thyroiditis, 3 subjects had subclinical hyperthyroidisem, and 5 patients had subclinical hypothyroidisem. Positive TPO Ab had a statistical correlation that was marginally significant correlation with cirrhosis, physical symptoms and history of traditional phlebotomy [0.05