AIMS:

To investigate the presence of the antigliadin antibodies in the patients with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

METHODOLOGY:

Four hundred patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (280 Graves' disease and 120 Hashimoto's thyroiditis ) were included in the study. The patients with celiac sprue patients were excluded. For the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis, blood levels of thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and the titration of thyroid autoantibodies (TgAb and TmAb) were measured, and the thyroid gland was ultrasonographycally evaluated. After the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease was established, the titration of antigliadin antibodies (Ig A and B) were routinely detected.

RESULTS:

Twenty two patients (5.5 per cent) with autoimmune thyroiditis had positive antigliadin antibodies. Polyglandular endocrine syndrome was diagnosed in most of these patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

We claim that polyglandular endocrine syndrome is the commonest cause of positivity of antigliadin antibodies in the patients with autoimmune thyroid disease.