Introduction:

The physio-pathological bases of polycystic ovary syndrome may predispose women with this condition to a higher risk of autoimmunity and there is evidence, albeit scarce, of higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in them.

Objectives:

Determine the frequency of serological markers of thyroid autoimmunity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and identify whether there is an association between the presence of them and progesterone and testosterone concentrations.

Methods:

A study was conducted in 50 women with polycystic ovary syndrome and 50 without the syndrome. Determinations of thyroid autoantiantibodies (anti-thyroglobulin (Anti-Tg) and anti-peroxidase (anti-TPO) were made to women in both study groups. Hormone determinations (testosterone and progesterone) were made only to the study group of women with PCOS. Categories were created by antibodies: Positive if the titles were greater than the reference range, and negative if within the range. It was considered a positive autoimmune response when at least one of the antibodies was found increased. For the association between the presence of autoimmunity and independent variables, bivariate analyses were performed by means comparison and non-parametric tests. It was considered a significance level of α=0.05.

Results:

In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, 62% showed positive antibodies and 14% in those without the syndrome. In women without the syndrome, of the 7 women with positive autoimmune markers, in 6 (85.7%) the anti-Tg was the one that tested positive. There were no significant differences in the association with testosterone and progesterone levels.

Conclusions:

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are more often able to develop thyroid autoimmune response, independently from the progesterone and testosterone levels.

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