Investigation Of Thyroid Autoantibodies And Hormone In Serum Of Patients With Vitiligo

Background:The mechanisms of vitiligo remain unclear.Recent studies showed that patients with vitiligo were liable to accompany with other autoimmune diseases,especially the autoimmune thyroid diseases.In view of the different influence of race and heredity,we aim to investigate the characteristics of autoimmune thyroid diseases in Chinese vitiligo patients.Objective:To investigate the serum thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid hormone levels of vitiligo patients and to analyze the correlation of vitiligo and autoimmune thyroid diseases.Methods:The serum anti-thyroglobulin antibody(ATG),anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody(ATPO),free T3 and T4,TSH levels were measured in eighty-seven vitiligo patients and 90 age matched healthy controls with chemiluminscent immunoassay and the corresponding parameters were compared in age- and sex-matched patients.The diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases was confirmed in ATG and ATPO positive patients.Results:1.The age distribution was comparable in two groups(P＞0.05).2.The positivity of ATG and ATPO was 23.0%and 24.1% respectively,which was significantly higher than those in healthy controls (6.7%for ATG and 7.8%for ATPO,x~2=9.8 and 8.8,P=0.003 and 0.004 respectively).3.The mean TSH levels were also significantly higher in vitiligo patients when compared with those of healthy controls(t=2.0,P=0.045), but the mean free T3 and T4 concentrations were not statistically different (P＞0.05).4.Vitiligo patients in 11-20 years old and in 21-40 years old had a high positivity of ATG and ATPO than age-matched healthy controls(P＜0.05),but no difference was found in other age matched groups (including＜11years,41～60 years,and＞61 years old group).The positivity of ATG and ATPO in female vitiligo patients was higher that in female healthy controls(34.1%vs.8.5%,34.1%vs.10.6%,x~2=9.4 and 7.10,P=0.004 and P=0.010 respectively).5.The positivity of ATG and ATPO in 11-20 years old vitiligo patients group was higher than that in＜11 years,41～60 years and＞61 years old group(P＜0.05).The positivity of ATG and ATPO in21-40 years old vitiligo patients group was higher than that in 41～60 years and＞61 years old group(P＜0.05).6.The overlapping coefficients of ATG and ATPO were 85.7%and 95.2%respectively in helthy controls and in vitiligo patients.7.Fourteen among 20 ATG and ATPO positive vitiligo patients(70%) were diagnosed as autoimmune thyroid disease,which was higher than that in ATG and ATPO positive healthy controls(only one in six) (~x2=5.4,P=0.02).Conclusions1.The positivity of ATG and ATPO in vitiligo patients was higher than that in healthy controls.2.Young female vitiligo patients had high positivity of ATG and ATPO.3.The overlapping coefficients of ATG and ATPO were very high in healthy controls and in vitiligo patients.4.The mean TSH levels were also significantly higher in vitiligo patients.5.Vitiligo patients with positive ATG and ATPO were prone to having autoimmune thyroid diseases.6.For vitiligo patients,especially the young female patients,ATG ATPO and TSH measuring had important clinical implications.