**Author details**

306 Thyroid Hormone

individuals [35].

statistically different from the control group [41].

correlation than does the anti-Tg antibody [45].

the initiation and propagation of autoimmune disease [24].

understanding of the pathogenesis of both diseases.

**3. Conclusions** 

inflammatory cell subsets in the skin, skin draining lymphonodes, and spleen of the affected

Clinical association with AA has known for many years. AA frequently occurs in association with other autoimmune disorders such as vitiligo, lupus erythematosus, pernicious anemia and others [34, 36-38]. Among endocrine disorders, thyroid diseases are the commonest that has been described as associated with AA, but the issued values were different. In the greatest study reported till now, Muller and Winkelmann have found the evidences of different types of thyroid disease in 8% of 736 patients in compare to less than 2% of the control population in North America [39]. Broniarczyk-Dyla *et al.* observed abnormalities of thyroid structure and function in even 78% of AA patients [40]. Conversely, Puavilai *et al.* estimated that the prevalence of thyroid disease is relatively low (7.2%) and was not

In accordance to previous studies, current study reported a high frequency of thyroid diseases in AA patients. We detected elevated anti-Tg in 16 (23%) and elevated anti-TPO in 21 (30%) of patients with AA. Compared with the control group, the frequency of the both anti-Tg and anti-TPO antibodies was significantly higher in those with AA. Statistically significant difference was also found in values of anti-Tg and anti-TPO between patients with different clinical type of the disease. The highest anti-Tg concentrations were observed in patients with alopecia universalis. Patients with thyroid diseases were on an average older and reported longer duration, but the results were not statistically significant. These results are consistent with a clinical study performed by Seyrafi *et al.* [32]. They analyzed serum TgAb level in 123 Iranian patients with AA and found it to be elevated in 29.3% of study patients. Grandolfo *et al.* observed the presence of thyroid autoantibodies in even 44% of AA patients [42]. Goh *et al.* also confirmed the frequent coexistence of AA and thyroid abnormalities [43]. They found 19% of probands with thyroid disease including simple goitre, Grave´s disease and Hashomoto´s thyroiditis. Our findings showed that the frequency of anti-TPO was more significant than anti-Tg. This antibody, historically referred to as the antimicrosomal antibody, is established as a sensitive tool for the detection of early subclinical autoimmune thyroid diseases and identification of at-risk cases for autoimmune thyroid diseases [44]. Nordyke *et al.* reported that anti-TPO antibody tends to have more

Alopecia areata offers many benefits as a model for the study of autoimmunity, in that it can be used to identify the contributing roles of immunogenetics and neuroendocrine factors in

The study revealed a significant association between AA and thyroid disease and showed the tests used to detected thyroid autoantibodies to be relevant in patients with AA. Further exploration of this relationship in clinical setting and at a molecular level may help in the

Thyroid autoimmunity is the most prevalent autoimmune condition in the general population, and is also associated with various skin diseases. The evidence is strong for the Emina Kasumagic-Halilovic\*

*Department of Dermatovenerology, Sarajevo University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina* 

Begler Begovic *Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Sarajevo University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina* 
