Vitamin D and thyroid autoimmunity

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem, its role as an immune modulator being recently emphasized. Recent studies are increasingly suggesting that vitamin D plays a significant role in reducing the incidence and progression of autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, it was reported that patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid disease had lower vitamin D levels [1]. We initiated a prospective study, for a period of 6 months with a study group represented by 160 patients admitted to the National Institute of Endocrinology “CI Parhon” in the period 2013 -2014. Patients were divided into 3 groups: 121 patients without thyroid pathology, 22 patients diagnosed with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, who received 2000 IU cholecalciferol daily, 17 patients diagnosed with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, which did not receive cholecalciferol. We found that patients with chronic thyroiditis have a poor vitamin D status with ATPO values negatively correlating with 25 (OH) vitamin D levels. Treatment with cholecalciferol not only improves vitamin D status but also lowers antithyroid antibodies titres. Keywords: vitamin D deficiency, chronic