title: Is thyroid autoimmunity itself associated with psychological well-being in euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
abstract: Recent studies imply that euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) might be related with impaired HRQoL, depression and anxiety. Ninety three patients with euthyroid HT and 31 age- and gender-matched euthyroid control subjects were enrolled into this study. SF-36 questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory tests were used for evaluating HRQoL, depression and anxiety. Beck Depression Inventory scores were higher in patients with HT compared to control subjects (7.5 (4.0-14.75) vs. 5.0 (2.25-9.0), p=0.008). Beck Anxiety Questionnaire scores were also higher in patients with HT than controls (9.50 (5.0-17.0) vs. 5.0 (2.0-11.75), p=0.021). In SF-36 questionnaire; physical functioning (26.0 (20.0-28.0) vs. 29.0 (26.0-30.0), p=0.038), general health (16.4 (13.4-20.4) vs. 19.4 (16.3-21.2), p=0.026) and mental health (20.5 (16.0-23.0) vs. 23.0 (21.0-25.0), p=0.001) scores were lower in patients with HT than control subjects. There were no significant differences between patients with HT under levothyroxine replacement therapy compared to those without therapy in terms of depression and anxiety scores and components of SF-36 questionnaire. Beck Depression Inventory scores were positively correlated with TSH (r=0.250, p=0.01). In SF-36, role physical (r=0.192, p<0.05) and vitality (r=0.181, p<0.05) were positively correlated with fT4. Role emotional was negatively correlated with TSH (r=-0.185, p<0.05) and anti-TPO (r=-0.234, p<0.05). Mental health was negatively correlated with anti-TPO (r=-0.287, p<0.01). HRQoL is impaired and depression and anxiety scores are high in patients with euthyroid HT independent of levothyroxine replacement. Therefore, our results indicate that thyroid autoimmunity itself may have an impact on psychological well-being in euthyroid patients with HT.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Muhittin
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alev Eroglu
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Altinova
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cavnar
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Basak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bolayir
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mujde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akturk
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cigdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balos Toruner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Anxiety; Autoimmunity; Depression; Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; Quality of life