Retinol Levels in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
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Authors
Folsom, Audrey M.
Issue Date
2020-04-07
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Autoimmune disease , Hashimoto's thyroiditis , Retinol , Thyroid , Vitamin A
Alternative Title
Abstract
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the United States. Previous studies have proven that HT patients often have low vitamin D levels and benefit from vitamin D supplementation to help manage their autoimmune disease. Research is currently underway to investigate vitamin A’s benefits in the management of autoimmune diseases. Both of these vitamins have immune-modulating properties, and both affect thyroid function. This dissertation aims to establish whether HT patients had lower retinol (vitamin A) levels than participants that did not have HT. Data regarding retinol levels and thyroid function markers were gathered from a database of results from a small study conducted at Health Matters Clinic, in Northeast Arkansas. The study participants were sorted into two groups: HT and non-HT, and then 26 participants were randomly selected for each group. The HT group had participants that were positive for either or both thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies, and that were not on thyroid medications such as levothyroxine. The non-HT group had participants that did not have thyroid autoantibodies, and did not have any other known autoimmune disease and had normal Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels. An independent sample t-test for differences in retinol levels was performed, as well as Pearson’s correlation for retinol and TSH and retinol and the anti-thyroid antibodies. The results revealed no statistical differences in retinol levels between the groups and no correlation between retinol and the level of thyroid antibodies. Retinol’s tight homeostatic control, which maintains steady serum levels regardless of liver reserve status, can explain the lack of statistical difference in retinol levels between the groups. A positive correlation was found between retinol and TSH levels (high TSH with high retinol), which may indicate some novel mechanism of retinol’s effect on the thyroid or retinol’s involvement in the etiology of HT, therefore, needs to be validated with more data. In conclusion, serum retinol levels do not appear to correlate with HT; in particular, serum retinol levels appear not to be decreased in patients with HT. At the same time, our data seem to indicate some involvement of retinol, or its signaling pathway, in thyroid disorders.
Description
Citation
A.M. Folsom, "Retinol Levels in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis", Ph.D. dissertation, School of Health Science, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 2020.
Publisher
University of Bridgeport