NEUROENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE INTERACTION IN AUTOIMMUNE THYROIDITIS

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to elucidate the interrelationships and notable correlations among the indicators of hormonal regulation, immune status, and markers of neurodegeneration in patients diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis. The study enrolled a total of 170 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (divided subclinical and manifest form). Control group consist of 65 people without thyroid pathologies or other autoimmune diseases. The examination of cytokine profiles in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis revealed a significant increase in cytokine levels in groups of patients with subclinical and manifest forms of the disease compared to the control group. The analysis of antibody levels in patients with different clinical forms of hypothyroidism revealed that the median concentration of Ab-nDNA was significantly higher in patients with a manifest form of the disease compared to those with a subclinical group. According to an assessment of neuron-spesific enolase levels in the blood plasma of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis significantly compared to control group. Furthermore, a study examining the concentration of neuron-spesific enolase in patients with different clinical forms of autoimmune thyroiditis revealed that individuals with a subclinical form of the disease had statistically significant increase (p=0.042) in the value of this parameter. Our study results revealed significant changes in immunological parameters and markers of neurodegeneration in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis alongside hormonal imbalance.