Estimation of antithyroid microsomal antibodies in Egyptian vitiligo patients of different age groups

ABSTRACT

Controversial reports about the incidence of autoimmune thyroid disease in children with non-segmental vitiligo prompted us to detect a possible relationship between the serum level of antithyroid microsomal [=antithyroid peroxidase] antibodies and the frequency of associated autoimmune thyroid disease in different age groups of vitiligo patients. Sixty vitiligo patients divided into four age groups [childhood, adolescence, early adulthood and middle adulthood] were included in the current study. Forty healthy controls of comparable age and sex were included. Estimation of serum antithyroid peroxidase [anti-TPO] antibodies, thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] and free thyroxine [fT4] was done using ELISA method. Results of our study revealed that serum level of anti-TPO was significantly elevated in vitiligo patients [27%] compared to healthy controls [7.5%]. There was no significant difference in the serum level of TSH and fT4 between the two groups. There was a positive significant correlation among cases between serum anti-TPO and serum TSH. In addition, there was a positive significant correlation between the serum level of anti-TPO and the prevalence of auto immune thyroid diseases [AITD]. Although there was no significant correlation between serum anti-TPO and the age of vitiligo patients, a higher percentage of patients in the adolescence [40%] and early adulthood age groups [33.3%] had elevated anti-TPO compared to children [13.3%]. A significantly higher prevalence of elevated serum anti-TPO was detected among female cases [36.7%] compared to male cases [16.7%]. Vitiligo patients are more susceptible to develop anti thyroid antibodies. Periodical estimation of serum anti-TPO level and scanning for AITD is recommended especially in adolescent female vitiligo patients