Patients with chronic hepatitis C infection
often have thyroid disorders
(November 2004)
The background of the study. Patients with chronic
hepatitis C virus infection may have manifestations of autoimmune
thyroid disease, but whether this occurs more often than in normal
subjects is unclear. In this study the frequency of thyroid disorders
was evaluated in patients with hepatitis C, patients with chronic
hepatitis B, and normal subjects.
How the study was done. The study subjects were
630 patients with chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus
infection, 86 patients with chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis
B virus infection, 389 normal subjects who lived in the same area
of Italy, in which iodine intake is relatively low, and 268 normal
subjects who lived in an area of higher iodine intake. The study
subjects underwent a clinical examination and had measurements of
serum thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (T4), and antithyroid peroxidase
(anti-TPO) antibodies.
The results of the study. The sex and age of the
patients in the four groups were similar. The average serum TSH
and anti-TPO antibody concentrations were higher and the serum free
T4 concentrations were lower in the patients with chronic hepatitis
C than in the other three groups (Table).
The serum concentrations of both antibodies were high in 21 percent
of the patients with chronic hepatitis C, as compared with 10 to
13 percent of the patients in the other three groups.
The conclusions of the study. Thyroid dysfunction
and autoimmunity is more common in patients with chronic hepatitis
C than in patients with chronic hepatitis B or normal subjects.
The original article. Antonelli A, Ferri C, Pampana
A, Fallahi P, Nesti C, Pasquini M, Marchi S, Ferrannini E. Thyroid
disorders in chronic hepatitis C. Am J Med 2004;117:10-13.
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