Increased risk of coeliac disease in patients with congenital hypothyroidism.

BACKGROUND: In patients with congenital hypothyroidism (CH), the presence of coeliac disease (CD) has been sporadically described. METHODS: Seventy-nine consecutive children (58 females and 21 males; age range 3.1-12.1 years) with permanent CH were studied. For all patients, a family history of autoimmune diseases as far as second-degree relatives was collected, and total serum IgA, antigliadin, anti-endomysium and anti-transglutaminase antibodies were evaluated. In the subjects positive for CD antibodies, the CD diagnosis was confirmed by jejunal biopsy. One hundred and eighty-two Italian children from the same geographical area, matched for age and sex, acted as controls. RESULTS: In CH patients, a statistically significant difference was found in the familial occurrence of autoimmune diseases compared to controls (22 vs. 7.9%; p < 0.001). A total of 6 patients (4 girls, 2 boys; 7.6 vs. 1%; p < 0.005) were positive for CD antibodies. In 5 of these patients (6.3%), the diagnosis of CD was confirmed histologically. CONCLUSION: Our data show a higher prevalence of CD in children with permanent CH and suggest that these patients should be monitored carefully for CD. Other studies are needed to confirm our results and to explain the causes of this possible relationship.