The relationship between procalcitonin and thyroid autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to investigate the serum levels of procalcitonin and its association with autoantibodies in patients with euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis.


METHODS
A total of 80 participants were included in the study; 40 of which were newly diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, aged over 18, and 40 of which were healthy volunteers. The serum levels of procalcitonin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Thyroid function tests were analyzed in hormone laboratory with Electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay.


RESULTS
Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients had higher median procalcitonin levels than those of the control group (34.3 pg/mL vs 27.8 pg/mL respectively; P=.037). Also, male patients had higher median procalcitonin levels as compared to female patients (37 pg/mL vs 27 pg/mL respectively; P=.013). In the Hashimoto's thyroiditis group, procalcitonin level was positively correlated with anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase levels (r=.559, P<.001; r=634, P<.001, respectively). The procalcitonin and anti-thyroid peroxidase levels were identified to be an independent predictor in diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.


CONCLUSIONS
The fact that procalcitonin was found to be correlated with thyroid autoantibodies and found to be an independent risk factor for Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the regression analysis in the framework of this study urges us to think that procalcitonin may be associated with the autoimmunity.
Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ali
A
Oncul
Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ihsan
I
Ates
Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Mehmet Fettah
MF
Arikan
Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Nisbet
N
Yilmaz
Department of Biochemistry, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Canan
C
Topcuoglu
Department of Biochemistry, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Fatma Meric
FM
Yilmaz
Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Altay
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
D001323:Autoantibodies; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin; D002116:Calcitonin; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase
autoimmunity; calcitonin; chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis; pre-procalcitonin