Thyroid and gastric autoimmune diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is frequently accompanied by other organ-specific diseases. We investigated the frequency of the association AITD-Biermer's disease (BD) in patients with AITD by investigating the prevalence of intrinsic factor antibodies (IF-Ab).


METHODS
Sera from 113 patients with AITD (hypo- or hyperthyroidism) were screened for the presence of type I IF-Ab with a competitive automated immunoassay based. Matched sera from 113 patients with dysthyroidism (not AITD) were tested.


RESULTS
Four IF-Ab positive patients suffered from AITD. BD was known for two of them and strongly suspected in the two others. All patients with no AITD tested IF-Ab negative. B12 levels were often low whatever the etiology.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of IF-AbI is higher (3.5%) in patients with AITD. Prospective studies should investigate whether correcting thyroid dysfunction improves vitamin B12 levels, and establish whether routine screening for gastric autoimmunity is clinically useful or purely academic.
Morel
S
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Bordeaux, University Hospital of Bordeaux, France.
Georges
A
A
Bordenave
L
L
Corcuff
J-B
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000150:complications; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D007437:Intrinsic Factor / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D001323:Autoantibodies; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D007437:Intrinsic Factor; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D013974:Thyroxine