Exploring the Correlation Between Celiac Disease and Thyroid Ultrasound Findings

Abstract

Background:

Celiac disease, a prevalent autoimmune disorder, frequently coexists with various syndromes and autoimmune conditions. The leading cause of acquired hypothyroidism, wherein T cells target the thyroperoxidase enzyme, causing irreversible damage to the thyroid gland. According to the conflicting results presented in the studies, we aimed to determine the relationship between celiac disease and thyroid ultrasound findings.

Materials  and Methods:

62 patients who were referred to the hospital and suffering from celiac disease were included in the study. After obtaining informed consent from the patients, a questionnaire related to demographic characteristics, including age and sex, was completed, and the patients were subjected to ultrasonography of the thyroid gland. The collected information was entered into SPSS software version 16 for data analysis.

Results:

The mean duration of celiac disease was 6.03 years. No cases of heterogeneity were found in the thyroid ultrasonography of the healthy control group, but in the group of celiac patients, 24 cases (38.7%) had heterogeneous thyroids. In the ultrasound examination, the average volume of the left and right lobes and the thickness of the thyroid isthmus in the group of celiac patients was significantly smaller than that of healthy individuals. (P<0.05). In the sonographic examination of the thyroid of patients with celiac disease, six patients who had a heterogeneous appearance also had Hashimoto's. The prevalence of thyroid nodularity was 35.5% in celiac patients and 5.7% in the control group (P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Thyroid ultrasonography in patients with celiac disease shows gland shrinkage, diffuse heterogeneity, nodularity, and typical manifestations of Hashimoto's thyroiditis compared with the normal population.