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Increased oxidative stress accompanies Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
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Euthyroid patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have increased oxidants and decreased antioxidants compared with those without the disease, study findings show.
According to researchers, there may be a significant involvement of advanced glycation end products in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Rosaria M. Ruggeri, MD, PhD, of the department of clinical and experimental medicine in the division of endocrinology, AOU Policlinico G. Martino di Messina in Italy, and colleagues evaluated 71 patients with newly diagnosed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (mean age, 38 years; 63 women) and 63 age- and sex-matched healthy controls for changes in oxidative balance through specific serum tests.
Compared with controls, serum-derived reactive oxygen metabolites were increased (P = .0002) and biological antioxidant potential was decreased (P < .0001) in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. An inverse relationship was found between derived reactive oxygen metabolites and biological antioxidant potential (P = .027), indicating an imbalance between endogenous production of free radicals and antioxidant defense systems in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Compared with controls, serum advanced glycation end products (P = .02) were higher in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and inversely related with biological antioxidant potential levels (P = .037). Both groups had similar levels of advanced oxidation protein products, and these were not related with other oxidative stress markers (P < .05).
Serum antithyroid peroxidase antibodies were the main predictors for derived reactive oxygen metabolites (P = .006), biological antioxidant potential (P < .001) and advanced glycation end products (P = .014) regardless of thyrotropin or free thyroxine levels in univariate and multivariate analyses.
“Oxidants are increased and antioxidants decreased in euthyroid [Hashimoto’s thyroiditis],” the researchers wrote. “As a result, the oxidative/antioxidative balance is shifted toward the oxidative side. Moreover, this study reports for the first time on increased serum levels of [advanced glycation end products] in [Hashimoto’s thyroiditis], thus contributing to a better definition of the redox homoeostasis dysregulation in this autoimmune disorder. [Advanced glycation end product] levels could be used as new reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress in [Hashimoto’s thyroiditis]. Finally, the present data suggest that antioxidant supplementation may be helpful in providing protection from [Hashimoto’s thyroiditis].” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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