Status of antithyroid immunity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Purpose: to determine the frequency of increased antibodies to thyroperoxidase in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and to determine possible risk factors such as age, gender, age of manifestation, duration and level of glycemic control of type 1 diabetes for the development of autoimmune thyroid dysfunction.

Material & Methods: anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO) level was determined in 165 children aged 8-18 years (85 girls and 80 boys) with T1DM, considering gender, duration of type 1 diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), level of sexual development at the time of T1DM manifestation and at the time of examination.

Results: increased anti-TPO levels were observed in 15.8% of children with T1DM. In girls, antibodies were found twice as often (p=0.04) and were detected at a much younger age (p=0.007). The frequency of AB pressure levels before TPO significantly increased in puberty compared to childhood and puberty (p=0.03). Presumably, increased anti-TPO levels were found in children who developed T1DM before the onset of puberty (p=0.004).

Conclusions: the obtained data indicate that increased levels of antithyroid antibodies are associated with female sex, puberty age and manifestation of T1DM before the onset of puberty. This confirms the need to screen all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes for thyroid antibodies and antigens, which will reduce the risk of developing autoimmune-induced thyroid dysfunction.