Abstract
Background. Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) represents the most frequent associated manifestation of the autoimmune disease in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).
The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and natural course of AITD in unselected cohort of diabetic children. Methods and Results.
TSH, free thyroxin, thyreoglobulin autoantibodies (Ab-hTG), peroxidase autoantibodies (Ab-TPO) and thyroid sonography were prospectively evaluated (1 to 6 years; 323 patient-years) in 110 patients with T1DM (age 2.1-20.8 years; 60 boys). Mild elevation of Ab-hTG and/or Ab-TPO levels (>100, 1000 mIU/l) was found in 12 patients (11%; boys:girls 1:1).
Out of these, eight had increased thyroid volume and ten had abnormal echotexture. Subclinical hypothyroidism developed within the observation period in nine of them (boys:girls 2:1).
Conclusions. AITD was found in 31 (28%) children and adolescents with T1DM.
Whereas mild elevation of Ab-hTG and/or Ab-TPO levels was not accompanied with morphological changes of the thyroid and did not predict functional disorder, severely elevated levels were associated with the early risk of subclinical hypothyroidism.