Prevalence of Thyroid Disorder in Egyptian Children with Type I Diabetes Mellitus and the Prevalence of Thyroid Antibodies Among them

Abstract

Type I diabetes mellitus (IDDM) may be associated with an autoimmune disorders including autoimmune thyroid disease (reaction to thyroid antigens including thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) so we aimed to see prevalence of thyroid disorder in a sample group of Egyptian children (8-12 years) with type I diabetes mellitus and to investigate the prevalence of thyroid auto antibodies among them. Five hundred children with prior diagnosis of type I diabetes mellitus and 500 normal euthyroid non diabetic children were included. Glucose, HbA1c, antibodies to thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO), FT3, FT4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were determined. Mean age was 10.16 ± 0.07; 9.66 ± 0.08 for control and diabetic children respectively. Mean duration of diabetes was 4.10 ± 0.06 year. The anti-TPO antibody test was positive in 56 out of the 500 children studied (11.2%), resulting in prevalence of 11.2%. Children with positive anti-TPO antibodies had abnormal TSH levels (subclinical hypothyrodism). Mean glycated hemoglobin was higher in IDDM children (8.55 ± 0.03 vs. 4.95 ± 0.03 (P<0.05)). TSH was significantly higher in children with thyroid autoimmunity ((diabetic with TSH < 5 μU/ml vs. diabetic with TSH > 5 μU/ml); and 5.88 vs. 3.0 μU/ml (diabetic vs. normal control); P<0.001). 56 children of 500 (11.2%) had TSH over 5 μU/ml (range 5.05: 6.9 μU/ ml). Subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in 11.2% among children with thyroid autoimmunity.