Study Of The Relation Between Thyroid Autoimmunity And Hepatitis C Virus Infection

ObjectiveTo explore the association of autoimmune thyroid diseases as well as thyroid autoantibodies with hepatitis C virus infection.MethodsFour hundred and sixty - two samples with positive thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and/or thyroglobulin antibody ( TgAb) from rural areas and Shenyang were collected. Three hundred and eighty subjects with negative TPOAb and TgAb who had similar age and gender distribution and without personal and family history of thyroid diseases were selected as controls from the areas mentioned above. The anti - HCV antibody was examined in all the cases using the third - generation ELISA, HCV RNA qualitative examination was examined further in those who had positive anti - HCV antibody. Meanwhile, 39 subjects with hepatitis C, 30 healthy subjects, and 30 subjects with hepatitis B were sampled. Thyrotropin, FT₃, FT₄, TPOAb and TgAb were examined in these subjects.ResultsThere was no obvious difference in the HCV infection rate between the group with positive thyroid autoantibodies and the group with negative thyroid autoantibodies. The anti -HCV titer in the group with positive thyroid autoantibodies was obviously higher than that in the group with negative thyroid autoanti-bodies ( p < 0. 05 ). The correlation between thyroid autoantibodies and serum anti - HCV titer was analyzed in the group with positive thyroid autoantibodies, and showed that there was a positive correlation between TPOAb level and anti -HCV titer ( r = 0. 615 , p < 0. 05 ) . In the subjects with hepatitis C, 30. 77% were TPOAb positive, 30.77% were TgAb positive, and there was significant difference when compared with healthy subjects and subjects with hepatitis B (p <0.05).ConclusionThere was no increase in the HCV infection rate in subjects with abnormal thyroid autoimmunity, but in the subjects with abnormal thyroid autoimmunity, there was a positive correlation between levels of thyroid autoantibodies and anti - HCV titer. In subjects with hepatitis C, about 30% had positive thyroid autoantibodies, which indicated that in patients with hepatitis C, Thyrotropin, FT3, FT4, TPOAb and TgAb should be examined.