Author/Authors :
Farahid, O.H. National Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Jordan , Khawaja, N. National Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Jordan , Shennak, M.M. University of Jordan - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Jordan , Batieha, A. Jordan University of Science and Technology - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Jordan , El-Khateeb, M. National Center for Diabetes Endocrinology Genetics, Jordan , Ajlouni, K. National Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Jordan
Abstract :
The prevalence of coeliac disease among patients with autoimmune hypothyroidism has not been studied before in Jordan and other Arab countries. A cross-sectional record-based review was made of all adult autoimmune hypothyroidism patients who attended a referral centre in Jordan, during an 8-month period. Coeliac disease in these patients was diagnosed by the attending physician based on positive serological tests for anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG followed by duodenal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of coeliac disease. Of 914 patients recruited, 117 (12.8%) were seropositive for coeliac disease. Of 87 seropositive patients who underwent duodenal biopsy, 39 had positive histological findings of coeliac disease (44.8%). Extrapolating from these findings the overall rate of coeliac disease among autoimmune hypothyroidism patients was estimated to be 5.7%. In multivariate logistic regression coeliac disease was significantly associated with older age ( 40 years), presence of other autoimmune diseases, vitamin B12 deficiency and anaemia.
