Subclinical autoimmune thyroid disorders in Egyptian patients with untreated chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

The frequency of anti-thyroid antibodies and subclinical thyroid disorders in Egyptian patients with untreated chronic hepatitis type C was estimated. In addition, it determines the correlation between the seropositivity of anti-thyroid antibodies and serum thyroid stimulating hormone level in chronic HCV positive patients. Also, the impact of hepatic decompensation in inducing thyroid autoimmunity in such patients was evaluated. This study included 56 untreated chronic hepatitis C patients and 28 healthy subjects of the same local population as a control group. The results showed that the mean thyroid stimulating hormone levels were significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis C than in controls. Patients with decompensated chronic hepatitis C had insignificantly higher subsequent autoimmune hypothyroidism than the compensated patients. A significant positive correlation between the level of thyroid stimulating hormone and anti-thyroglobulin, but not with anti-thyroperoxidase, was found. Therefore, there is an association between chronic hepatitis C virus infection and subclinical autoimmune thyroid disorders. Thyroid stimulating hormone and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies screening for all chronic HCV patients, even if antiviral treatment will not be initiated, should be done.