title: Increased risk of primary Sjögren's syndrome in female patients with thyroid disorders: a longitudinal population-based study in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A number of reports have indicated an association between thyroid diseases and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). However, fewer studies have investigated whether the presence of thyroid diseases is associated with increased risk of developing pSS. Thus, the aim of our study was to use a nationwide health claims database to explore the prevalence and risk of pSS in female patients with thyroid diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the Registry of Catastrophic Illness database in the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, we identified 389 female patients with a diagnosis of pSS from 2005 to 2010. We also obtained 1945 control subjects frequency-matched on sex, 10-year age interval, and year of index date from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID2000). Both groups were retrospectively traced back to a period of eight years to obtain diagnosis of thyroid diseases prior to index date.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly higher risk of pSS was associated with the presence of thyroid diseases (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.6-2.9). Among the sub-categories of thyroid diseases, patients with thyroiditis (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.7-7.5), thyrotoxicosis (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.6-3.8), and unspecified hypothyroidism (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.2-4.6), and simple and unspecified goiter (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3-3.3) were significantly associated with increased risk of pSS. The associations were generally stronger in the mid-forties to mid-sixties age group, except in patients with unspecified hypothyroidism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of pSS was significantly increased in female patients with thyroid diseases, particularly those in their mid-forties to mid-sixties. An increased awareness of the possibility of pSS in perimenopausal females with thyroid diseases is important to preserve their quality of life and to avoid comorbidity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan ; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Chi
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Yao
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Tzung-Yi
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Ning-Sheng
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D047648:Perimenopause; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology