Concurrent disorders
Concurrent disorders are other types of disorders that occur with thryoid disorders more frequently than in the general public
There is a going body of evidence on the co-occurrence of thyroid disorders and other autoimmune disorders. One study in 2007 reported a prevalence rate of 60% for rheumatic disorders and 15% for other autoimmune disorders among patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders.
The common concurrent disorders are:
Rheumatic disorders
Other autoimmune disorders
Mixed connective tissue disease
Sjögren's syndrome
Systemic lupus erythematosus
rheumatoid arthritis
multiple scleroses
systemic sclerosis
diabetes
c
eliac diseasemyasthenia gravis
fibromylagia
Addisons Disease
pernicious anemia
About 10% of patients with Graves’ disease and 14% with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis had another autoimmune disorder. The most common associated autoimmune disorder for both conditions rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis had a 10-fold higher risk for Addison’s disease and a 3-fold increased risk for pernicious anemia compared to Graves’ disease. Men with Graves’ disease had higher rates of Type 1 diabetes and myasthenia gravis compared to women, while women, but not men, with Graves’ disease had an increased risk for Addison’s disease, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis.(10)
One possible explanation for dissatisfaction with treatment is an undetected concurrent disorder. If the prevalence rates are generalizable from these studies, then it would seem reasonable to implement routine screening for concurrent disorders for anyone with a thyroid disorder as was suggested by Biro.
[1] Soy, Mehmet; Guldiken, Sibel; Arikan, Ender; Altun, Betul; Tugrul, Armagan: Frequency of rheumatic diseases in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease Rheumatology International, Volume 27, Number 6, April 2007 , pp. 575-577(3)
[2] Biró E, Szekanecz Z, Czirják L, Dankó K, Kiss E, Szabó NA, Szucs G, Zeher M, Bodolay E, Szegedi G, Bakó G. Association of systemic and thyroid autoimmune diseases. Clin Rheumatol. 2006 Mar;25(2):240-5. Epub 2005 Oct 25.
[3] Sloka, JS, Pryse-WEM Phillips M Stefanelli and C Joyce Co-occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease in a multiple sclerosis cohort Journal of Autoimmune Diseases (Newfoundland).The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences Volume 32, Number 1 / February 2005: 37 - 42
[6] Alvarez-Marfany M, Roman SH, Drexler AJ, Robertson C, Stagnaro-Green A. Long-term prospective study of postpartum thyroid dysfunction in women with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994;79:10-16.
[8] Cuoco L, Certo M, Jorizzo RA, De Vitis I, Tursi A, Papa A, De Marinis L, Fedeli P, Fedeli G, Gasbarrini G. Prevalence and early diagnosis of coeliac disease in autoimmune thyroid disorders. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1999 May;31(4):283-7.
[9] Association between thyroid autoimmunity and fibromyalgic disease severity.
Bazzichi L, Rossi A, Giuliano T, De Feo F, Giacomelli C, Consensi A,
Ciapparelli A, Consoli G, Dell'osso L, Bombardieri S.
Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Dec;26(12):2115-20.
[10] Boelaert et al. Prevalence and relative risk of other autoimmune diseases in subjects with autoimmune thyroid disease. Am J Med 2010;123:183.e1-9.