Prevalence of HCV antibodies in autoimmune thyroid disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Auto-immune thyroid disease (AITD) has often been reported during interferon-alpha therapy for chronic viral C hepatitis (HCV) or other diseases. Recently, a high AITD prevalence has been reported in HCV independently on alpha-interferon therapy. The aim of our study is to investigate the possible relationship between AITD and HCV and HBV virus infections, and their influence on the thyroid function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 112 patients with AITD (94 women and 18 men; mean age: 49.8 +/- 14.9 yrs) and 88 patients with non-toxic goitre (NTG) (73 women and 15 men; mean age: 50.2 +/- 13.5 yrs) as controls. In all patients HCV antibodies, HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies, TSH, FT3 and FT4 serum levels, circulating anti-thyroid-peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TG-Ab) were measured. RESULTS: HCV antibodies were positive in 11.6% of AITD patients (13/112) and in 2.3% of controls (2/88) (P < 0.05), the prevalence of HCV in the controls being similar to the expected value in the general population (about 2%). HBsAg and anti-HBs were found only in 2.6% of AITD patients (3/112) and 1.1% of controls (1/88) (P = NS), according to the expected value in the general population (about 2.5%). No difference in thyroid function was observed between positive and negative HCV subgroups. CONCLUSION: A significant association between HCV infection and AITD was found. This finding confirms that HCV, but not HBV, could be one of the environmental factors responsible for the breakdown of immunological tolerance. Therefore detection of TPO-Ab and TG-Ab in all HCV patients, independently of IFN therapy, is suggested and the utility of a screening for HCV in all AITD patients is stressed.

Calcitriol plus hydrochlorothiazide prevents transient post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our double-blinded randomized prospective placebo-controlled study was to test if a week long pre-treatment with hypercalcemic drugs may prevent transient post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia and reduce hospital stay. METHODS: Forty-two patients undergoing total thyroidectomy were randomized into two groups. Group 1: 22 patients treated with calcitriol 1.5 mcg/die plus hydrochlorothiazide; Group 2: 20 patients only treated with placebo (mineral integrates) as control group. Calcium and PTHi serum levels were assayed baseline and the days before and after thyroidectomy. RESULTS: Baseline calcium and PTHi did not differ between the two groups. Pre-surgery calcemia significantly increased in group 1 (p<0.05) while PTHi significantly decreased (p<0.05). Post-surgery calcemia and PTHi further significantly decreased in both groups, hypocalcemia (<2.10 mmol/l) occurring in 1 out of 22 patients in group 1 without symptoms and in 10 out of 20 in controls (20% developing symptoms) (p<0.01). The hospital stay resulted significantly shorter in group 1 (2.4+/-0.6 days) in respect to the control group (3.6+/-1.4 days, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The administration of calcitriol plus hydrochlorothiazide is able to prevent transient post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia and to reduce hospital stay.