Subclinical hypothyroidism in atopic South Italian children.
OBJECTIVE
To verify if subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) could be associated to atopy in children.


METHODS
Seven hundred and thirty-two Caucasian children from South Italy presenting symptoms of allergic disease were enrolled and submitted to atopy, obesity, chronic low grade inflammation, and SCH work up.


RESULTS
Four hundred and forty-five out of 705 (63.12%) children affected by allergic disease were diagnosed as atopic and 260 (36.88%) as not atopic. The SCH prevalence was 6.3%. Significant higher prevalence of SCH among atopic children with average (group 2) and high (group 3) low grade chronic inflammation compared to atopic children with mild (group 1) low grade chronic inflammation was present. Moreover, group 1 and group 2 presented an OR to show SCH of 2.57 (95%CI: 1.55-6.26) and 2.96 (95%CI: 1.01-8.65), respectively. Both in atopic and not atopic children we found C3 serum levels significantly higher in group 3 respect to group 2 and group 1. Noteworthy, among atopic patients, also total immunoglobulin E (IgE) serum levels, were significantly higher in group 3 compared to group 2 and group 1 children. In atopic children, C3 and total IgE serum values increased in parallel with the increase of C-reactive protein values, while in not atopic children this phenomenon was not evident.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility exists that an increasing atopic inflammation contributes to SCH occurrence. So far this is the first report in literature showing an association between SCH and atopy but further studies are needed to confirm our data.
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Marcella
M
Pedullà
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Vincenzo
V
Fierro
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Pierluigi
P
Marzuillo
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Ester
E
Del Tufo
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Anna
A
Grandone
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Laura
L
Perrone
Marcella Pedullà, Vincenzo Fierro, Pierluigi Marzuillo, Ester Del Tufo, Anna Grandone, Laura Perrone, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
Emanuele
E
Miraglia Del Giudice
Atopy; Children; Low grade chronic inflammation; Subclinical hypothyroidism; Thyroid derangement