Low birth weight is not associated with thyroid autoimmunity: a population-based twin study.
BACKGROUND
Low birth weight has been proposed as a risk factor for the development of antibodies toward thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin (TgAb) in adult life. However, the association could also be due to genetic or environmental factors affecting both birth weight and the development of thyroid autoantibodies. The effect of these confounders can be minimized through investigation of twin pairs.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of low birth weight on the development of thyroid autoimmunity, we studied whether within-twin-cohort and within-twin-pair differences in birth weight are associated with differences in the serum concentration of TPOAb and TgAb in adult life.


METHODS
We studied 1024 euthyroid twin individuals who were distributed in 512 same-sex twin pairs.


METHODS
Original midwife protocols were traced manually through the Provincial Archives of Denmark. TPOAb and TgAb were measured using solid-phase time-resolved fluoroimmunometric assays.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant associations between birth weight and serum concentrations of TPOAb [regression coefficient (beta) = 0.003 (95% confidence interval, -0.010 to 0.015); P = 0.67] or TgAb [beta = 0.002 (-0.010 to 0.014); P = 0.77]. When restricting the analysis to twin pairs with a within-pair difference in birth weight of 500 g or greater or to twin pairs born 4 wk or more before term, the regression coefficients were almost unchanged. Controlling for potential confounders (sex, zygosity, gestational age, TSH, and smoking) did not change the findings of nonsignificant regression coefficients.


CONCLUSIONS
Low birth weight per se has no evident role in the etiology of thyroid autoimmunity.
Brix
Thomas Heiberg
TH
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. thomas.brix@ouh.fyns-amt.dk
Hansen
Pia Skov
PS
Rudbeck
Annette Beck
AB
Hansen
Jacob Bjerg
JB
Skytthe
Axel
A
Kyvik
Kirsten Ohm
KO
Hegedüs
Laszlo
L
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003718:Denmark; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000276:immunology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
D001323:Autoantibodies; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase