Smoking is negatively associated with the presence of thyroglobulin autoantibody and to a lesser degree with thyroid peroxidase autoantibody in serum: a population study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Smoking is negatively associated with the presence of thyroglobulin autoantibody and to a lesser degree with thyroid peroxidase autoantibody in serum: a population study

AU - Pedersen, Inge Bülow

AU - Laurberg, Peter

AU - Knudsen, Nils Jakob

AU - Jørgensen, Torben

AU - Perrild, Hans

AU - Ovesen, Lars

AU - Rasmussen, Lone Banke

N1 - Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Autoantibodies; Female; Humans; Iodide Peroxidase; Life Style; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Smoking; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - BACKGROUND: Autoimmune thyroid diseases are common and the prevalence of circulating thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase antibody, TPO-Ab and thyroglobulin antibody, Tg-Ab) is high in the population. The knowledge of a possible association between lifestyle factors and circulating thyroid antibodies is limited. AIM: To evaluate the correlation between smoking habits and the presence of circulating TPO-Ab and Tg-Ab. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional comparative population study performed in two areas of Denmark with moderate and mild iodine deficiency, 4649 randomly selected subjects from the population in some predefined age groups between 18 and 65 years were examined. Blood tests were analysed for TPO-Ab and Tg-Ab using assays based on the RIA technique. The participants answered questionnaires, were clinically examined and blood and urine samples collected. RESULTS: Data were analysed in multivariate logistic regression models. There was a negative association between smoking and the presence of thyroid autoantibodies in serum. This association was observed for the presence of TPO-Ab and/or Tg-Ab, TPO-Ab (without respect to Tg-Ab status), Tg-Ab (without respect to TPO-Ab status) and both antibodies together. The association between smoking and thyroid autoantibodies was stronger for Tg-Ab than for TPO-Ab. There was no association between smoking and TPO-Ab measured alone or between smoking and TPO-Ab when Tg-Ab was included in the model as an explanatory variable. CONCLUSION: Smoking was negatively associated with the presence of thyroid autoantibodies with the strongest association between smoking and Tg-Ab. The study design precludes any conclusions as to the cause of the negative association between smoking thyroid autoantibodies.

AB - BACKGROUND: Autoimmune thyroid diseases are common and the prevalence of circulating thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase antibody, TPO-Ab and thyroglobulin antibody, Tg-Ab) is high in the population. The knowledge of a possible association between lifestyle factors and circulating thyroid antibodies is limited. AIM: To evaluate the correlation between smoking habits and the presence of circulating TPO-Ab and Tg-Ab. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional comparative population study performed in two areas of Denmark with moderate and mild iodine deficiency, 4649 randomly selected subjects from the population in some predefined age groups between 18 and 65 years were examined. Blood tests were analysed for TPO-Ab and Tg-Ab using assays based on the RIA technique. The participants answered questionnaires, were clinically examined and blood and urine samples collected. RESULTS: Data were analysed in multivariate logistic regression models. There was a negative association between smoking and the presence of thyroid autoantibodies in serum. This association was observed for the presence of TPO-Ab and/or Tg-Ab, TPO-Ab (without respect to Tg-Ab status), Tg-Ab (without respect to TPO-Ab status) and both antibodies together. The association between smoking and thyroid autoantibodies was stronger for Tg-Ab than for TPO-Ab. There was no association between smoking and TPO-Ab measured alone or between smoking and TPO-Ab when Tg-Ab was included in the model as an explanatory variable. CONCLUSION: Smoking was negatively associated with the presence of thyroid autoantibodies with the strongest association between smoking and Tg-Ab. The study design precludes any conclusions as to the cause of the negative association between smoking thyroid autoantibodies.

U2 - 10.1530/EJE-07-0595

DO - 10.1530/EJE-07-0595

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18299471

SN - 0804-4643

VL - 158

SP - 367

EP - 373

JO - European Journal of Endocrinology

JF - European Journal of Endocrinology

IS - 3

ER -