The Association of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Autoimmune Hypothyroidism

Background: It's fairly uncommon for one autoimmune illness to coexist with another. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and underactive thyroid are two of the most frequent autoimmune disorders. They could have some kind of connection. Objective: In this study our main goal is to evaluate the association of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Autoimmune Hypothyroidism. Method: This cross sectional study was carried out tertiary hospital Bangladesh from June 2021 to June 2022. A total of 100 randomly selected indoor and outdoor SLE patients of both sexes and different age groups were enrolled for the study (Group-1). Total 100, age and sex matched healthy controls without SLE (Group-2) was selected for comparison. Verbal consent was taken from both group and ethical clearance was obtained from local ethical committee. Results: During the study, 21-25 years age group, 31% and 95% were female. In group-1 45% had hypothyroidism, followed by 35% had subclinical hypothyroidism, 35% had enlarged thyroid gland. Whereas in group-2 26% had hypothyroidism, followed by 55% had subclinical hypothyroidism. In Group-1 m hemolytic anemia 25%, ITP 21%, APS 20%, Type I DM 9%, MCTD 8%, RA 5%, Dermatomyositis- Polymyositis 6%, Grave’s Disease 4% and miscellaneous 2%. Whereas in case of Coexisting non-immunologic diseases cushingoid 30%, PUD 6%, CKD 6, dyslipidemia 21%, osteoporosis 5%, hepatitis 2%, IHD 4%, CVD 2%. Conclusion: There was no conclusive proof that SLE caused autoimmune hypothyroidism. The clinical presentation of these disorders is likewise similar. This means that all SLE patients may benefit from having a thyroid screening test performed to check for autoimmune hypothyroidism. It is important to look for any autoimmune disorders that may be present and treat any comorbidity found. All of these things are important to think about while choosing a treatment for SLE and improving its management.