ABNORMAL THYROID-FUNCTION TEST-RESULTS IN PATIENTS WITH FISHER-EVANS SYNDROME

Thyroid function was evaluated in patients affected by Fisher-Evans sy ndrome (FES) and compared to that of patients affected only by autoimm une hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and to that of patients affected only by i diopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The study population consist ed of 20 patients with FES, 44 with AIHA and 20 with ITP. All patients were examined for thyroid function abnormalities and thyroid autoanti bodies. Abnormal thyroid function test results were observed in 40, 25 and 10% of the patients, respectively. The prevalence of antithyroid antibodies (ATA) in FES was 25%; this is higher than the sum of the pr evalences of ATA in patients affected only by AIHA (11.4%) or only by ITP (none). Subclinical primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroxinemia w ith or without hypertriiodothyroninemia, with TSH serum levels below n ormal, were present in 20% and 10% of patients affected by FES, respec tively. Of the former. 75% were positive for ATA. These results: i) co nfirm the high prevalence of abnormal thyroid test results in patients affected by AIHA, ITP and FES; ii) demonstrate the higher prevalence of autoimmune hypothyroidism in FES; iii) lead to the possibility of i ncluding FES as one of the multiple autoimmune syndromes.