THYROID DYSFUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

We sludied in om research the prevalence of thyroid disease in randomly s lected 48 RA and J 5 controls with OA attendants at the out patient clinic of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation department in EL-Minia U11iversity Hospitnl. Our RA pticnts were divided into 2 groups according to the

presence of thyroid dysfunction.

Diagnosis of thyroid disturbance in our RA patients, based solely on elevation of serum TSH by radioirnmunoassay, which is diagnostic of hypothyroidism, overt or subclinical. .ln general, all th1!patients with thyroid dysftmction had mild or no symptoms or signs of overt thyroid disease. Also, the presence of antibodies to thyroid microsomal antigen

(TMA) and thyroglobulin (TGA) were detected by indirect i m mulloflu roescencc. The results of this st•u.dy were as foHo.ws_;,

- 28 (58.3%) of our RA ptients had subclinical hypothyroidism. 3 of them hs.d . past hyperthyro.idism.None of our OA patients showed this abnormality. - Regardii1g the prevalence of : n:ithywid antibodies there was 21 (43.8%)

JZA ptients positive for TGA compared with 3 (20%) OA Patients. Also, there was 24 (50%) RA pticnts positive for TMA, as compared with (40'Xil OA patients.