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Hyperthyroidism may be associated with ulcerative colitis
Adults with ulcerative colitis are more likely to have been previously diagnosed with hyperthyroidism compared with adults without ulcerative colitis, study data from Taiwan show.
Cha-Ze Lee, MD, of the department of internal medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, and colleagues evaluated data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 on 2,709 adults (mean age, 40.3 years) with newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis and 8,127 sex- and age-matched controls (mean age, 40.9 years) to determine the link between ulcerative colitis and previously diagnosed hyperthyroidism. Researchers defined the index date as the date of the first ulcerative colitis diagnosis.
Overall, 3.02% of all participants were diagnosed hyperthyroidism before the index date. More participants with ulcerative colitis had hyperthyroidism (4.1%) compared with controls (2.66%; P < .001). Participants with ulcerative colitis were also more likely to have been previously diagnosed with hyperthyroidism compared with controls after adjustment for monthly income, geographic location and urbanization level (OR = 1.61; 95% CI, 1.27-2.05).
Participants with ulcerative colitis in the youngest age group (18-39 years) had the greatest odds for having been previously diagnosed with hyperthyroidism compared with controls (OR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.04-3.78), whereas researchers observed no difference between controls and participants with ulcerative colitis in the oldest age group (> 59 years).
“Although epidemiologic evidence suggested an association [between ulcerative colitis and hyperthyroidism], replication of the findings is required to confirm the association found in the present study and to clarify the pathogenesis of both diseases,” the researchers wrote. – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.