Correlation of Sonographic Findings with Thyroid Function and Autoimmune Activity in Patients with Vitiligo

Background/Objective: Vitiligo is an acquired"ndepigmenting disorder due to destruction of"nmelanocytes. Most authorities believe that the most"nimportant pathogenetic mechanism of the disease is"nautoimmunity. Other autoimmune disorders such"nas thyroid autoimmune diseases occur commonly in"nassociation with vitiligo. This study was designed to"ndetermine the role of thyroid ultrasonography as a"nnoninvasive and cost effective diagnostic method for"nearly detection of thyroid disorders in patients with"nvitiligo."nPatients and Methods: Fifty patients with vitiligo"nwere evaluated in this case-control study. The"ncontrol group (35 cases) was matched with the case"ngroup respecting confounding factors such as age and"nsex. Comprehensive dermatological examinations,"nthyroid autoimmune and function tests and thyroid"nultrasonography were performed for all cases (in"nboth case and control groups). The sonographer was"nblind to dermatologic and endocrinologic findings of"nthe cases. Mean thyroid volumes, echopattern and"ntexture of the thyroid in sonographic studies and mean"nlevels of thyroid autoimmune and function tests were"ncompared between case and control groups. P value"nless than 0.05 was considered statistically significant."nResults: Although mean total thyroid volume and"nmean left and right lobe volumes were not significantly"ndifferent between cases and controls, the texture and"nechopattern of the thyroid gland as well as the mean"nserum Anti-TPO levels were significantly different"nbetween the two groups (P<0.05). Serum anti-TPO"nlevels had significant correlation with thyroid volume"nchanges."nConclusion: Thyroid ultrasonography, as an accurate"nand noninvasive diagnostic method, may be used to"nstudy the morphology, size and parenchyma of the"nthyroid gland in patients suspected to have autoimmune"nthyroid diseases."nKeywords: Thyroid Gland, Ultrasonography, Vitiligo