Ghayad E, Tohme A, Haddad F, Haddad C, Choueiry R
Service de Médecine Interne, Beyrouth, Liban, Université Saint-Joseph, Faculté de Médecine.
Ann Med Interne (Paris). 1997;148(4):307-10.
Thyroid function, studied in 36 scleroderma patients revealed 7 abnormal cases: 6 hypothyroid patients secondary to autoimmune thyroiditis and 1 hyperthyroidism secondary to Graves' disease. In the hypothyroid subgroup, 3 cases presented a localized systemic sclerosis and the 3 others presented a diffuse systemic sclerosis; Sjögren syndrome was found in 2 of these patients. The hyperthyroid patient presented a diffuse systemic sclerosis. Because of the association between scleroderma and thyroid diseases, we suggest to perform thyroid screening regularly for all patients with systemic sclerosis.