Thyroid Disorders in Korean Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Although autoimmune thyroid diseases have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prevalence of thyroid disorder is controversial. To clarify the prevalence of thyroid disorder in Korean patients with SLE, thyroid functions and diseases were evaluated in 63 SLE patients. Of these patients, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (9.5%) as well as euthyroid sick syndrome (14.3%) were more common than Graves' disease (4.8%). The prevalence of antithyroid autoantibodies (antimicrosomal and/or antithyroglobulin autoantibodies) in SLE was 27.0%. High titers of these autoantibodies were mainly detected in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. These results suggested that thyroid diseases are not uncommon in SLE and autoimmune thyroid diseases are possible manifestations in some patients with SLE. Antithyroid autoantibodies may be good predictors for the detection of Hashimoto's thyroiditis developing in SLE.