Thyroid peroxidase antibodies in Mexican-born healthy pregnant women, in women with type 2 or gestational diabetes mellitus, and in their offspring.
OBJECTIVE
To search for differences in the frequency of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) among 150 pregnant Mexican women who were healthy, had type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), or had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).


METHODS
Fifty healthy women, 50 women with type 2 DM, and 50 women with GDM were studied at delivery. In addition, 142 of their offspring were included in the study. TPO-Ab were determined by enzyme immunoassay, and total triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyrotropin) were measured by radioimmunoanalysis.


RESULTS
TPO-Ab were < or = 70 U/mL (negative) in 50% of the healthy women and in 60% and 60% of women with type 2 DM and GDM, respectively (no significant difference). TPO-Ab were 71 to 250 U/mL (slightly positive) in 40% of healthy women and in 30% and 34% of women with type 2 DM and GDM, respectively (no significant difference). TPO-Ab were > or =251 U/mL (strongly positive) in 10% of healthy women and in 10% and 6% of women with type 2 DM and GDM, respectively. One healthy woman had subclinical hypothyroidism, and the rest were euthyroid. The newborn offspring of these Mexican women were euthyroid and had similar frequencies of TPO-Ab (all had TPO-Ab <250 U/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
(1) The frequency of TPO-Ab > or =251 U/mL was similar in pregnant Mexican women with GDM in comparison with those who were healthy or had type 2 DM. (2) The similar high frequencies of slightly positive TPO-Ab in the three groups of pregnant women can partially be explained by the existence of an ethnic factor, the very strong family history of DM in a substantial percentage of them, and the use of a more sensitive and specific assay for detection of TPO-Ab.
Ortega-González
C
C
Department of Endocrinology, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, México City, México.
Liao-Lo
A
A
Ramírez-Peredo
J
J
Cariño
N
N
Lira
J
J
Parra
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase