Vnitr Lek 2012, 58(11):830-833

Is polycystic ovary syndrome associated with autoimmune thyroiditis?

J. Petríková^*, J. Figurová, I. Dravecká, I. Lazúrová

I. interná klinika Lekárskej fakulty UPJŠ a UN L. Pasteura Košice, Slovenská republika, prednostka prof. MUDr. Ivica Lazúrová, CSc.

Introduction:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies in women of fertile age and lately there is a discussion about its possible association with autoimmune diseases.


The aim of the study
was to examine incidence of autoimmune thyreoiditis (AIT) in PCOS women.

Patients and methods:
64 PCOS patients were enrolled and 68 healthy menstruating women served as controls. All subjects were examined for thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxin (fT₄) and the presence as well as titers of antithyroid antibodies aTG (anti-thyreoglobulin) and aTPO (anti-thyreoperoxidase).

Results:
There was no difference between PCOS and controls in average TSH levels (2.37 ± 1.46 mIU/l vs 2.37 ± 1.46 mIU/l) (p = 0.953), and fT₄ levels (16.36 ± 5.34 pmol/l vs 16.49 ± 2.32 pmol/l) (p = 0.852). Autoantibodies titers were also non-significant aTG (53.09 ± 157.07 IU/ml vs 29.8 ± 100.77 IU/ml, p = 0.386) and aTPO (59.74 ± 149.03 IU/ml vs 45 ± 204.77 IU/ml, p = 0.805). However, PCOS women had significantly higher prevalence of aTPO (18.75 vs 7.35%, p = 0.045). On the other hand, the overall prevalence of AIT was similar in both groups.

Conclusion:
Our results show PCOS patients have slightly but significantly higher positivity of aTPO antibodies but the prevalence of AIT was insignificant.

Keywords: PCOS; autoimmunity; autoimmune thyreoiditis; autoantibodies

Received: June 30, 2012; Accepted: August 27, 2012; Published: November 1, 2012  Show citation