August 2017 | Volume 8 | Article 212 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 28 August 2017 doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00212 Frontiers in Endocrinology | www.frontiersin.org Edited by: Jacqueline Jonklaas, Georgetown University, United States Reviewed by: Ilaria Rufflli, University of Pisa, Italy Michele Colaci, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy Onyebuchi Okosieme, Cwm Taf University Health Board, United Kingdom *Correspondence: Roberto Vita roberto.vita@yahoo.it Specialty section: This article was submitted to Thyroid Endocrinology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology Received: 05 July 2017 Accepted: 09 August 2017 Published: 28 August 2017 Citation: Vita R, Santaguida MG, Virili C, Segni M, Galletti M, Mandolfno M, Di Bari F, Centanni M and Benvenga S (2017) Serum Thyroid Hormone Antibodies Are Frequent in Patients with Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome Type 3, Particularly in Those Who Require Thyroxine Treatment. Front. Endocrinol. 8:212. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00212 Serum Thyroid Hormone Antibodies Are Frequent in Patients with Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome Type 3, Particularly in Those Who Require Thyroxine Treatment Roberto Vita 1 *, Maria Giulia Santaguida 2 , Camilla Virili 2 , Maria Segni 3 , Marina Galletti 1 , Mattia Mandolfno 1 , Flavia Di Bari 1 , Marco Centanni 2,4 and Salvatore Benvenga 1,5,6 1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy, 2 Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy, 3 Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, 4 Endocrinology Unit, AUSL Latina, Latina, Italy, 5 Master Program on Childhood, Adolescent and Women’s Endocrine Health, University of Messina, Messina, Italy, 6 Interdepartmental Program of Molecular & Clinical Endocrinology, and Women’s Endocrine Health, University Hospital Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, Messina, Italy Polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PAS) type 3 consists of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) coexisting with ≥1 non-thyroidal autoimmune disease (NTAID) other than Addison’s disease and hypoparathyroidism. We evaluated the prevalence and repertoire of thyroid hormones antibodies (THAb) in PAS-3 patients. Using a radioim- munoprecipation technique, we measured THAb (T3IgM, T3IgG, T4IgM, and T4IgG) in 107 PAS-3 patients and 88 controls (patients with AITD without any NTAID). Based on the selective coexistence of AITD with one NTAID (chronic autoimmune gastritis, non-segmental vitiligo or celiac disease), patients were divided into group 1 (chronic autoimmune gastritis positive, n = 64), group 2 (non-segmental vitiligo positive, n = 24), and group 3 (celiac disease positive, n = 15). At least one of the four THAb was detected in 45 PAS-3 patients (42.1%) and 28 controls (31.8%, P = 0.14), with similar rates in the three PAS-3 groups. The rates of T3Ab, T4Ab, and T3 + T4Ab were similar in groups 1 and 2, while in group 3, T3Ab was undetected (P = 0.02). In PAS-3 patients, the rate of levothyroxine treatment was greater in THAb-positive patients compared to THAb-negative patients (76.7 vs. 56.1%, P = 0.03, RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.03–1.81). Not unexpectedly, levothyroxine daily dose was signifcantly higher in group 1 and group 3, namely in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, compared to group 2 (1.9 ± 0.4 and 1.8 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.2 μg/kg body weight, P = 0.0005 and P = 0.004). Almost half of PAS-3 patients have THAb, whose repertoire is similar if chronic autoimmune gastritis or celiac disease is present. A prospective study would confrm whether THAb positivity predicts greater likelihood of requiring levothyroxine treatment. Keywords: thyroid hormone antibodies, chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, chronic atrophic gastritis, non-segmental vitiligo, celiac disease Abbreviations: AITD, autoimmune thyroid disease; L-T4, levothyroxine; NTAID, non-thyroidal autoimmune disease; PAS, polyglandular autoimmune syndrome; THAb, thyroid hormones antibodies.