Signs of a higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in female offspring of bipolar parents.
BACKGROUND
Studies are inconsistent as to whether patients with bipolar disorder are more frequently affected by autoimmune thyroiditis.


OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in offspring of bipolar patients.


METHODS
In 1998 140 children (age 12-21 years) of bipolar parents were evaluated psychiatrically using the K-SADS-PL and blood was drawn to determine thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Abs) and serum TSH. Blood samples of high school students (aged 12-19 years, n=77) and young adults (aged 20-35 years, n=52) were used as comparisons. At follow-up the offspring were psychiatrically evaluated and tested for TPO-Abs and TSH twice (14 months and 55 months after enrollment).


RESULTS
TPO-Abs were predominantly found in female bipolar offspring, who had a significantly higher prevalence of positive TPO-Ab titers (9 out of 57 female offspring subjects) as compared to the female high school and young adult comparisons (4 out of 103 female control subjects). In TPO-Ab positive offspring (n=11) a raised prevalence of 55% of thyroid failure (i.e. a raised serum TSH or l-thyroxine treatment) was evident. TPO-Ab positive offspring did not show a raised prevalence of mood disorders (or any psychopathology) as compared to the TPO-Ab negative offspring.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that bipolar offspring are more vulnerable to develop thyroid autoimmunity independently from the vulnerability to develop psychiatric disorders.
Hillegers
Manon H J
MH
University Medical Centre Utrecht/Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands. m.h.j.hillegers@umcutrecht.nl
Reichart
Catrien G
CG
Wals
Marjolein
M
Verhulst
Frank C
FC
Ormel
Johan
J
Nolen
Willem A
WA
Drexhage
Hemmo A
HA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009679:Nuclear Family; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000453:epidemiology*