Natural history of autoimmune thyroiditis

One hundred and sixty-three asymptomatic people with thyroid antibodies or raised serum thyrotrophin (TSH) concentrations, or both, and 209 age-matched and sex-matched controls without either marker of thyroid disorder were followed up for four years to determine the natural history of autoimmune th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ 1981-01, Vol.282 (6260), p.258-262
Main Authors: Tunbridge, W M, Brewis, M, French, J M, Appleton, D, Bird, T, Clark, F, Evered, D C, Evans, J G, Hall, R, Smith, P, Stephenson, J, Young, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antibodies
Autoantibodies - analysis
Autoimmune Diseases - blood
Autoimmune Diseases - immunology
Autoimmune thyroiditis
Biochemistry
Cholesterols
Clinical Research
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism - etiology
Lipids - blood
Male
Medical specialists
Men
Middle Aged
Questionnaires
Symptoms
Thyroid diseases
Thyroid Gland - immunology
Thyroid Hormones - blood
Thyroiditis - blood
Thyroiditis - immunology
Thyrotropin - blood
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Summary:One hundred and sixty-three asymptomatic people with thyroid antibodies or raised serum thyrotrophin (TSH) concentrations, or both, and 209 age-matched and sex-matched controls without either marker of thyroid disorder were followed up for four years to determine the natural history of autoimmune thyroiditis. Mildly raised TSH concentrations alone and the presence of thyroid antibodies alone did not significantly increase the risk of developing overt hypothyroidism during the four years compared with the controls. Overt hypothyroidism developed at the rate of 5% a year in women who initially had both raised TSH concentrations and thyroid antibodies. Prophylactic treatment with thyroxine may be justified in women found to have both markers of impending thyroid failure. The cost effectiveness of screening the adult population remains to be evaluated.
ISSN:0267-0623
0959-8138
1468-5833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.282.6260.258