Thyroid disorders in chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with thyroid disorders.


METHODS
We investigated the prevalence of thyroid disorders in 630 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis due to HCV infection; all patients were free of cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma, and were not on interferon treatment. Also included were a control group of 389 subjects from an iodine-deficient area, another control group of 268 persons living in an area of iodine sufficiency, and 86 patients >40 years of age with chronic hepatitis B. Levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (T(4)), and triiodothyronine (T(3)), as well as anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, were measured.


RESULTS
Mean TSH levels were higher (P = 0.001), and free T(3) and free T(4) levels were lower (P <0.0001), in patients with chronic hepatitis C than in all other groups. Patients with chronic hepatitis C were more likely to have hypothyroidism (13% [n = 82]), anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (17% [n = 108]), and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (21% [n = 132]) than were any of the other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Both hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity are more common in patients with chronic hepatitis C-even in the absence of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, or interferon treatment-than in normal controls or those with chronic hepatitis B infection.
Antonelli
Alessandro
A
Department of Internal Medicine and CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Pisa, Italy. a.antonelli@med.unipi.it
Ferri
Clodoveo
C
Pampana
Alessandro
A
Fallahi
Poupak
P
Nesti
Claudia
C
Pasquini
Martina
M
Marchi
Santino
S
Ferrannini
Ele
E
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D013963:Thyroid Hormones