Assesment of oxidative status and its association with thyroid autoantibodies in patients with euthyroid autoimmune thyroiditis

Oxidative stress results from either overproduction of free radicals or insufficiency of several anti-oxidant defense systems. It leads to oxidation of main cellular macromolecules and a resultant molecular dysfunction. Thyroid hormones regulate oxidative metabolism and, thus, play a role in free radical production. Studies evaluating oxidative stress in patients with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism have been encountered in recent years; however, oxidative status in patients with euthyroid autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) was not investigated previously. Thirty-five subjects with euthyroid AIT and 35 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum oxidative status was determined by the measurement of total anti-oxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), and oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels. Serum TAS levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001), while serum TOS levels and IMA levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001 and p = 0.020, respectively) in patients compared to controls. In both groups, ox-LDL levels were similar (p = 0.608). Serum TAS levels were negatively correlated with anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) levels (rho = −0.415, p = 0.001 and rho = −0.484, p < 0.001, respectively). Serum TOS was positively correlated with anti-TG levels (rho = 0.547, p < 0.001). Further, TAS was positively correlated with free T4 levels (r = 0.279, p = 0.043). No correlation was observed between thyrotropin, free T3 levels, and TOS and TAS levels. These results suggest that oxidants are increased, and anti-oxidants are decreased in patients with euthyroid AIT, and oxidative/anti-oxidative balance is shifted to the oxidative side. Increased oxidative stress might have a role in thyroid autoimmunity.