Title:Thyroid Autoimmune Disease among Emirati Patients: A Retrospective
Analysis of the Patients’ Characteristics
Volume: 5
Author(s): Aly Howeedy*, Raya Zreik and Suzan Gharaibeh
Affiliation:
- Laboratory Department, Advanced Cure Diagnostic Centers, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Keywords:
Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Emirati nationals, TPOAb, TgAb, TRAb, Comorbidity, Hypothyroidism, Grave’s disease.
Abstract:
Background:
Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is a serious and treatable disease that could be associated with other autoimmune disorders. It is a common
cause of hypothyroidism in adult females. The diagnosis is established by detecting serum antithyroid antibodies. The disease slowly progresses,
and the treatment includes thyroid hormone replacement in cases of hypothyroidism.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and comorbidity factors involved in autoimmune thyroid
disease among Emirati citizens in the UAE.
Methods:
Medical records from Advanced Cure Diagnostic Centers were reviewed in a retrospective study over the period of four years from 2018 to 2022.
The patients population included those who attended the Endocrinology Unit and others seen by the rest of the medical staff. Patients were
considered to have AITD if they tested positive for thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), or both. The data
collected was evaluated using descriptive analysis to provide a basic summary of the patients sample and dataset. Unpaired t-test was used to
compare the mean value of elevated autoantibodies in males and females.
Results:
Of the 366 Emirati nationals who were tested for autoimmune thyroiditis, 220 (60%) had an abnormal result for TPOAb and/or TgAb. Among the
220 patients who had an abnormal result for TPOAb and/or TgAb, 188 (85.5%) were females, and 100 patients (45.5%) were in the age group
between 31 and 40 years. 42% were in a euthyroid state and 42% presented with hypothyroidism. Only 7% presented with hyperthyroidism, 5%
with subclinical hypothyroidism, and 2% with subclinical hyperthyroidism. An analysis of the comorbidity factors revealed 142 (65%) patients
with obesity, 82 (37%) with a family history of thyroid disease, 77 (35%) with hyperlipidemia, 14 (6%) with hypertension, and 11 (5%) with
diabetes.
Conclusion:
This is the first publication intended to address AITD in Emirati citizens. Our findings concur with the international data regarding the prevalence
among middle-aged females. Eighty-four percent of the positive patients either presented with no abnormality of their thyroid gland function or
with hypothyroidism. With the alarming increase of obesity in the UAE, we found it to be the single most important and preventable comorbidity
factor present in 65% of the studied population. This is followed by a family history of first-degree relatives with thyroid disease in 37% of the
participants, due to the high rate of consanguineous marriages in the UAE.
