Association of the anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody with chronic hand pain in older adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the commonest autoimmune disease. Although viewed as a classic form of single-organ autoimmunity, AITD is increasingly associated with non-thyroid sequelae including musculoskeletal manifestations and chronic pain syndromes. However, large population-based studies are needed.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationships between chronic hand pain and the AITD autoantibodies, anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).

DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

We examined data from NHANES III on 4820 persons aged 60 years or older with respect to hand pain and its association with TPOAb and TgAb. Log-binomial regressions were fit to examine the associations between the anti-thyroid autoantibodies and hand pain.

RESULTS

Positive TPOAb was associated with a higher prevalence of hand pain than negative TPOAb [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.158,  = 0.048] in the unadjusted model. This association was no longer significant after controlling for age, body mass index, gender, and diabetes ( = 0.313). When positive TPOAb was considered as a categorical variable with four levels, the highest quartile was associated with hand pain in the unadjusted (PR = 1.489,  = 0.005) and adjusted models (PR = 1.325,  = 0.042). There was no significant association between TgAb and hand pain when covariates were controlled for.

CONCLUSION

TPOAb may be associated with the presence of chronic hand pain in persons aged over 60 years, especially at higher serum levels.