Epidemiology of autoimmune thyroiditis

Abstract

A review of the literature on the epidemiology of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) is presented. This review examines the etiological factors of autoimmune thyroid damage. In case of damage to thyroid cells, the formation of antibodies and lymphoid infiltration of the gland is of great importance. It is noted that genetic factors precede the occurrence of pathological changes. Loss of immune tolerance to thyroid autoantigens such as thyroid pero\xadxidase (TPO), thyroglobulin underlies the development of AT. The role of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species is important in the pathogenesis of the disease. It is shown that at the beginning, AT is asymptomatic and the formation of TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies precedes the onset of the disease and may indicate latent AT. The prevalence of latent AT varies from country to country and ranges from 2 to 20\xa0%, and among women it was 4–6 times higher than among men. Subsequently, latent AT progresses to subclinical and overt thyroiditis with hypothyroidism. The incidence of mani\xadfest AT in various countries is from 27 to 273 per 100,000 population. Often, the disease began in childhood and adolescence. The frequency of pathology, including latent subclinical and manifest AT, in this cohort of the population according to different authors is from 0.3 to 9.6\xa0%. Pregnancy was also accompanied by the pre\xadsence of TPO antibodies but with reduced aggression of cellular ele\xadments and antibodies to the thyroid gland. The postpartum period was characterized by exacerbation of the disease. In Ukraine, the incidence of AT is 43.1 per 100,000, the prevalence is almost 10 times higher\xa0— 421.2 per 100,000. It is concluded that AT is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disease.