The Association of Elevated Plasma Cortisol and Hashimoto’S Thyroiditis, a Neglected Part of Immune Response Publisher Pubmed



Aghahosseini F¹ ; Shirzad N² ; Moosavi MS¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine Published:2016

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, Hashimoto Thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune disease and its prevalence is reported to be about twice that of Type 1 diabetes. Any disturbances in the immune tolerance system may cause autoimmune diseases. Discovering the underlying immune disturbances in HT not only improves our knowledge of its aetiopathology, but may also provide opportunities for appropriate management and preventing further immunological biases. Patients and Methods: Forty women diagnosed with HT were enrolled in this study. After the subjects had sat quietly for 30–40 min, blood samples were taken between 08:00 and 09:00 am. Cortisol, autoantibodies and TSH were measured by ELISA test. Results: There were no significant differences in terms of age, BMI or number of menopause women between HT patients and normal group. Cortisol was significantly higher in the HT group. The adjusted odds ratio for increased probability of HT for 1 ng increase in cortisol value was 19%. Discussion: After matching age and menopause status, cortisol was higher in the HT group. The Th2 immune response due to cortisol may have a protective role in certain types of autoimmunity. The presence of immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone in thyroid lesions, predominantly in those related to autoimmune disorders may support hyperproduction of cortisol in HT. Conclusion: Glucocorticoids downregulate the immune system and are known as one of the major immunosuppressant factors. In this study, there was increased cortisol level in HT patients. © Acta Clinica Belgica 2016.