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ABSTRACT
To investigate the association of autoimmune thyroid diseases with nonthyroid specific antibodies and also collagen tissue diseases (CTD), 40 patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (36 with Graves' disease and 4 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) were examined. Patients were questioned about whether they had any associated systemic symptoms of CTD. A family history was obtained. Ali had undergone a thorough physical evaluation. Routine laboratory and immunological tests were performed according to Standard methods. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was determined in only one of 40 patients (2.5 %). Serum rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 4 patients. The ratio of RF positivity in the patient group (10 %) was statistically significantly higher than the control group (3 %). There was no significant relation between ophthalmopathy and RF positivity. Our results are consistent with the concept that the prevalence of not only antibodies against nonthyroid specific antigens may increase in autoimmune thyroid diseases, and CTD may associate with autoimmune thyroid diseases.
To investigate the association of autoimmune thyroid diseases with nonthyroid specific antibodies and also collagen tissue diseases (CTD), 40 patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (36 with Graves' disease and 4 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) were examined. Patients were questioned about whether they had any associated systemic symptoms of CTD. A family history was obtained. Ali had undergone a thorough physical evaluation. Routine laboratory and immunological tests were performed according to Standard methods. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was determined in only one of 40 patients (2.5 %). Serum rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 4 patients. The ratio of RF positivity in the patient group (10 %) was statistically significantly higher than the control group (3 %). There was no significant relation between ophthalmopathy and RF positivity. Our results are consistent with the concept that the prevalence of not only antibodies against nonthyroid specific antigens may increase in autoimmune thyroid diseases, and CTD may associate with autoimmune thyroid diseases.