Association between thyroid autoimmunity and Helicobacter pylori infection.
- Author:
Yun Mi CHOI
1
;
Tae Yong KIM
;
Eui Young KIM
;
Eun Kyung JANG
;
Min Ji JEON
;
Won Gu KIM
;
Young Kee SHONG
;
Won Bae KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Thyroid; Autoimmunity; Helicobacter pylori
- MeSH: Adult; Antibodies; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Autoimmunity*; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Promotion; Helicobacter pylori*; Helicobacter*; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Peroxidase; Prevalence; Thyroid Diseases; Thyroid Gland*; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune; Thyrotropin; Thyroxine
- From:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2017;32(2):309-313
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: There have been controversial reports linking Helicobacter pylori infection to autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). However, data regarding the relationship are limited for Asian populations, which have an extremely high prevalence of H. pylori infection. We performed this study to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and AITD in Koreans. METHODS: This study involved adults aged 30 to 70 years who had visited a health promotion center. A total of 5,502 subjects were analysed. Thyroid status was assessed by free thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone, and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab). Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to H. pylori were measured as an indication of H. pylori infection. We compared the prevalence of TPO-Ab in subjects with and without H. pylori infection. RESULTS: H. pylori IgG antibodies were found in 2,875 subjects (52.3%), and TPO-Ab were found in 430 (7.8%). Individuals positive for H. pylori Ab were older than those negative for H. pylori Ab (p < 0.01). The proportion of females was significantly higher in the TPO-Ab positive group (41.0% vs. 64.2%, p < 0.01). Prevalence of TPO-Ab positivity was higher in subjects with H. pylori infection (8.6% vs. 7.00%, p = 0.03), and this association was significant after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.03; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, prevalence of TPO-Ab positivity is more frequent in subjects with H. pylori infection. Our findings suggest H. pylori infection may play a role in the development of autoimmune thyroiditis.
