THYROID-DISEASE AND MULTIPLE AUTOIMMUNE S YNDROME - CLINICAL AND IMMUNOGENETIC ASPECTS IN 11 CASES

The authors report eleven cases of multiple auto-immune syndrome, conc erning a total of 15 differents auto-immune diseases. This study sugge sts that auto-immune thyroid disorders (Graves' disease or hypothyroid ism resulting from Hashimoto's thyroiditis) are a common feature of mu ltiple auto-immune syndromes, while antithyroid antibodies are constan t among our patients. Sjogren's syndrome is also very prevalent, and s eems to be non-randomly associated with auto-immune thyroid disorders, a fact which suggests common aetiological factors. Among other auto-i mmune disorders, the antiphospholipid syndrome has been diagnosed twic e. A genetic predisposition to multiple auto-immune syndrome is obviou s, as shown by a familial history of auto-immune disorders (found in m ove than half of the cases), and a predominant HLA phenotype, B8 and/o r DR3. The authors plead for a systematic enquiry for multiple auto-im mune syndrome in patients with auto-immune thyroid disorders and a fam ily history of auto-immune disorders.