An evaluation of thyroid autoimmunity in patients with beta thalassemia minor: A case-control study

Objective: The tendency to autoimmune diseases has been reported to be increased in beta thalassemia minor (BTM). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether thyroid autoimmunity is higher in BTM.

Methods: Patients with BTM (n=86) and a healthy control group (n=93) were included in this cross-sectional case-control study. The two groups were compared in terms of anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and thyroid hormones.

Results: In the BTM group, thyroid hormones and serum anti-TG and anti-TPO antibody levels were not statistically different from those of the control group. The BTM and control groups were similar in terms of anti-thyroid antibody (ATA) positivity prevalence. In the BTM group, anti-TG was 11.6% and anti-TPO was 14% positive, while these values were 14% and 12.9% positive, respectively in the control group (p=0.806 and p=0.989, respectively). The proportion of anti-TG and/or anti-TPO antibody positive subjects was found to be 20.9% in the BTM group, and 20.4% in the control group (p=0.919). The ratios of subjects with euthyroidism, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were similar in both groups.

Conclusions: As the thyroid autoimmunity prevalence in the BTM group was not increased compared to the control group, it can be considered that there is no necessity for routine ATA and thyroid hormone testing in subjects with BTM.