Abstract
BackgroundA number of reports have indicated an association between thyroid diseases and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). However, fewer studies have investigated whether the presence of thyroid diseases is associated with increased risk of developing pSS. Thus, the aim of our study was to use a nationwide health claims database to explore the prevalence and risk of pSS in female patients with thyroid diseases.MethodsFrom the Registry of Catastrophic Illness database in the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, we identified 389 female patients with a diagnosis of pSS from 2005 to 2010. We also obtained 1945 control subjects frequency-matched on sex, 10-year age interval, and year of index date from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID2000). Both groups were retrospectively traced back to a period of eight years to obtain diagnosis of thyroid diseases prior to index date.ResultsA significantly higher risk of pSS was associated with the presence of thyroid diseases (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.6–2.9). Among the sub-categories of thyroid diseases, patients with thyroiditis (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.7–7.5), thyrotoxicosis (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.6–3.8), and unspecified hypothyroidism (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.2–4.6), and simple and unspecified goiter (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3–3.3) were significantly associated with increased risk of pSS. The associations were generally stronger in the mid-forties to mid-sixties age group, except in patients with unspecified hypothyroidism.ConclusionsThe risk of pSS was significantly increased in female patients with thyroid diseases, particularly those in their mid-forties to mid-sixties. An increased awareness of the possibility of pSS in perimenopausal females with thyroid diseases is important to preserve their quality of life and to avoid comorbidity.
Highlights
Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune exocrinopathic disease [1]
A total of 343 female patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS) aged 20 years and above were identified and compared with 1735 control subjects frequency matched by 10-year age interval, sex, and the index year
The prevalence figures of the remaining four conditions ranged from 3.5% to 4.1%
Summary
Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune exocrinopathic disease [1]. The disease can occur alone as primary SS (pSS) or in association with other autoimmune diseases as secondary SS. Its prevalence increased with age and peak around age 55 to 64 years with a female to male ratio of 9.9 to 1 [3]. A number of reports have indicated an association between thyroid diseases and primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS). Fewer studies have investigated whether the presence of thyroid diseases is associated with increased risk of developing pSS. The aim of our study was to use a nationwide health claims database to explore the prevalence and risk of pSS in female patients with thyroid diseases
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