PREVALENCE OF THYROID AUTOANTIBODIES IN DIABETIC CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN MASHHAD

Diabetes mellitus is the commonest endocrine-metabolic disorder during the early years of life. As many as one in five of insulin-dependent diabetics may have thyroid antibodies in their sera, which is 2-20 times higher than the general population. Tpo-ab, Tg-ab, TSH and HbAlC were measured in 48 children and adolescents with diabetes and compared with for sex/age-matched controls. Clinical data including sex, age at onset and duration of diabetes, family history and signs and symptoms of thyroid disorders were recorded. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS software. In diabetic group, twelve patients had positive thyroid autoantibodies; Tg-ab was positive in ten and Tp-ab was positive in nine and both were positive in seven patients. The prevalence of thyroid antibodies in our study was 25% and in the control group, nobody had thyroid antibodies (P=0.006). Of the twelve patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders, three had hypothyroidism. The prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disorders was not influenced by sex, age, duration of diabetes or HbAlc level. On the whole, nearly one-fourth of diabetic patients had thyroid antibodies, and annual thyroid antibodies investigation for these patients is suggested.