Autoimmune thyroid disease and associated diseases

Abstract

Autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) is a multifactorial, genetic disease. It is the sequelae of the impaired immunoregulation, tolerance and poor recognition of one's own proteins, oligopolysaccharides and polypeptides, due to development of somatic lymphocyte mutations. It is manifested by different clinical and morphological entities, inter-related by etiopathogenetic association, i.e., all of them are caused by disorder of immune system regulation. Chronic autoimmune thyroidism (Thyreoiditis lymphocytaria Hashimoto, HT), as well as immunogenic hyperthyroidism (Morbus Graves Basedow, MGB) are frequently associated with autoimmune diseases of other organs, such as: chronic insufficiency of salivary glands (Sy Sjögren), autoimmune hemolytic anemia, megalocytic pernicious anemia, thrombocytopenia, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes mellitus (more often type 2, but also type 1), Morbus Addison, Coeliakia, and other autoimmune diseases such as systemic diseases of connecting tissue (Lupus erythematosus-SLE, Sclerodermia, Vasculitis superficialis). The incidence of autoimmune diseases has been at increase in all age groups of our population. The prevalence of organ-specific and organ-nonspecific antibodies increases with the age. Antigenicity of thyroid epithelial cell may be triggered by different chemical and biological agents (repeated viral infections), repeated stress, and in individuals with genetic propensity. Unrecognized ATD progressively leads to hypothyroidism with hyperlipidemia, blood vessel changes, osteoporosis, deformities, invalidity which substantially reduces the quality of life of patient and requires medical attention and expensive treatment on what account it is medically and socio-economically significant. Multiple diagnostic procedures contribute to faster recognition of this condition. The goal of the primary health care physician (given that preclinical phase of ATD and other associated diseases have different duration) and other specialists is to recognize ATD and, by early diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment, to take secondary preventive measures of manifestation of above-mentioned associated autoimmune diseases, and in that way, to avoid the development of comorbidity and complications. It is particularly supported by medical doctrine based on evidence of application of corticosteroids, cytostatics, thyro-suppressive and substitution therapy, antilipemics, bisphosphonates and other drugs, significant for autoimmune diseases.