The frequency of autoimmune thyroid disorders in patients with thyroid dysfunction in Erbil city

Background and objective: Thyroid disorders are one of the most frequent pathologies found in the general population, but identifying thyroid disease can be clinically challenging because subclinical thyroid dysfunction and autoimmune thyroiditis are often asymptomatic and usually diagnosed biochemically. This study aimed to distinguish the autoimmune thyroid diseases from other forms of thyroid dysfunctions in patients admitted to PAR hospital in Erbil city. Methods: blood was withdrawn from healthy subjects, and unhealthy patients suffer from thyroid dysfunction, their age and gender were recorded, and their blood serum were subjected to test the thyroid function antibodies including triiodothyronine T3, thyroxin T4, and thyroid stimulating hormone TSH. Also, autoimmune antibodies were tested including anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TGA) and thyroperoxidase antibody (TPO antibodies). Results: no significant differences were shown in T3 levels while contrary highly significant differences were shown in T4, TSH anti-TGA and anti-TPO levels between healthy subjects and unhealthy patients groups. The percentages of autoimmune thyroid diseases were (45.2%) as compared to the other forms of thyroid dysfunctions (54.8%). Most of the patients were females in the age group 30-39 years. Conclusion: In Erbil city population/PAR hospital the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases were more frequent among other thyroid diseases collectively. It is mostly found in females rather than males within the age group 30-39 years