Skin disease and thyroid autoimmunity in atopic South Italian children

AIM:To verify the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity(TA) and the possible association between atopy and TA in children affected by skin disease.METHODS:Three hundred and twenty-four children consecutively referred due to skin disease symptoms to our Pediatric Department were enrolled.One hundred and eighty-seven were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis(AD),95 with acute urticaria,40 with chronic urticaria(CU),and 2 with alopecia areata(AA).According to the work-up for atopy,the children were divided into two groups:Atopics and non-atopics.TA was diagnosed by serum thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies and/or thyroglobulin autoantibodies levels more than twice normal values over a period of two months by immunoassay.RESULTS:In all children with skin disease,a significant prevalence of TA in atopies compared with non-atopies(13.67%vs 2.67%,P=0.0016) and a significant association between TA and atopy(OR=5.76,95%CI:1.71-19.35) were observed.These findings were confirmed as significant in children with AD:TA in atopies was 11.5%,while TA in non-atopies was2.7%(P=0.03,OR=4.68,95%CI:1.02-21.38).In addition,atopics with CU showed a significantly higher prevalence of TA(26.9%),but none of the non-atopics showed CU(P=0.0326).On the other hand,atopies with AA showed a 100%(2 out of 2) prevalence of TA,compared with none of the non-atopies.CONCLUSION:In children with skin disease,atopy seems to be associated with an increased risk of TA.

Subclinical hypothyroidism in atopic South Italian children

AIM:To verify if subclinical hypothyroidism(SCH) could be associated to atopy in children.METHODS:Seven hundred and thirty-two Caucasian children from South Italy presenting symptoms of allergic disease were enrolled and submitted to atopy,obesity,chronic low grade inflammation,and SCH work up.RESULTS:Four hundred and forty-five out of 705(63.12%) children affected by allergic disease were diagnosed as atopic and 260(36.88%) as not atopic.The SCH prevalence was 6.3%.Significant higher prevalence of SCH among atopic children with average(group 2) and high(group 3) low grade chronic inflammation compared to atopic children with mild(group 1)low grade chronic inflammation was present.Moreover,group 1 and group 2 presented an OR to show SCH of2.57(95%CI:1.55-6.26) and 2.96(95%CI:1.01-8.65),respectively.Both in atopic and not atopic children we found C3 serum levels significantly higher in group 3respect to group 2 and group 1.Noteworthy,among atopic patients,also total immunoglobulin E(IgE) serum levels,were significantly higher in group 3 compared to group 2 and group 1 children.In atopic children,C3 and total IgE serum values increased in parallel with the increase of C-reactive protein values,while in not atopic children this phenomenon was not evident.CONCLUSION:The possibility exists that an increasing atopic inflammation contributes to SCH occurrence.So far this is the first report in literature showing an association between SCH and atopy but further studies are needed to confirm our data.