Hong Zhang1, Lingyun Liang1, Zhongjian Xie1. 1. Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency is reportedly linked to a variety of autoimmune diseases. However, the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity in Graves disease (GD) and vitamin D deficiency is unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether increased thyroid hormone autoantibody titer is associated with vitamin D deficiency in GD patients. METHODS: A total of 70 patients with GD and 70 matched control subjects were recruited to our study. The levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrotropin-receptor antibody (TRAb), thyroid-peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) in serum collected from these patients and controls were examined. RESULTS: The level of 25(OH)D in serum from TRAb-positive GD patients was significantly lower than that in serum of healthy controls or TRAb-negative patients. However, compared with control subjects, the level of PTH in serum was increased in TRAb-positive GD patients. The rate of vitamin D deficiency (defined as serum 25[OH]D <50 nmol/L) in TRAb-positive GD patients was significantly higher than in healthy controls or TRAb-negative GD patients. The level of 25(OH)D in serum was inversely correlated with TRAb titer in serum of TRAb-positive GD patients. However, our results did not show a correlation between 25(OH)D level and the levels of TPOAb, TGAb, FT3, FT4, or TSH. CONCLUSION: Low vitamin D status is associated with increased TRAb titer in GD, suggesting a possible link between vitamin D status and increased thyroid autoimmunity in GD patients.
OBJECTIVE:Vitamin D deficiency is reportedly linked to a variety of autoimmune diseases. However, the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity in Graves disease (GD) and vitamin D deficiency is unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether increased thyroid hormone autoantibody titer is associated with vitamin D deficiency in GDpatients. METHODS: A total of 70 patients with GD and 70 matched control subjects were recruited to our study. The levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrotropin-receptor antibody (TRAb), thyroid-peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) in serum collected from these patients and controls were examined. RESULTS: The level of 25(OH)D in serum from TRAb-positive GDpatients was significantly lower than that in serum of healthy controls or TRAb-negative patients. However, compared with control subjects, the level of PTH in serum was increased in TRAb-positive GDpatients. The rate of vitamin D deficiency (defined as serum 25[OH]D <50 nmol/L) in TRAb-positive GDpatients was significantly higher than in healthy controls or TRAb-negative GDpatients. The level of 25(OH)D in serum was inversely correlated with TRAb titer in serum of TRAb-positive GDpatients. However, our results did not show a correlation between 25(OH)D level and the levels of TPOAb, TGAb, FT3, FT4, or TSH. CONCLUSION: Low vitamin D status is associated with increased TRAb titer in GD, suggesting a possible link between vitamin D status and increased thyroid autoimmunity in GDpatients.