Frequency, clinical and laboratory features of thyroiditis in girls with Turner's syndrome. The Italian Study Group for Turner's Syndrome.
A total of 478 patients, mean age 15.5 (3.6-25.3) years, suffering from Turner's syndrome, were studied in order to determine the frequency of autoimmune thyroiditis, which is defined as the presence of antithyroid antibodies (AT-Ab) and typical ultrasound findings. We found 106 (22.2%) patients positive for AT-Ab and of those 49 (10%) also had positive ultrasound findings, and were therefore considered to be affected by thyroiditis. This frequency is significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that seen in the normal population. Goitre was detected on clinical examination in only 16 (33%) and by ultrasound in 19 (39%) patients. Hormonal evaluation showed that 17 patients were euthyroid, 27 had compensated hypothyroidism, 2 were hypothyroid and 3 were in a hyperthyroid phase. Clinical signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism were absent in all hypothyroid patients. In patients with thyroiditis, neither a higher frequency of malformations and autoimmune diseases nor a correlation with karyotype, oestrogens or growth hormone therapy was found.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001323:Autoantibodies; D013963:Thyroid Hormones