Korean J Fertil Steril.  2004 Sep;31(3):149-154.

Association with Autoimmune Disease in Patients with Premature Ovarian Failure

• Park JC
• Kim JI
• Rhee JH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To assess the association with autoimmune endocrine diseases and detection rate of autoimmune antibodies and its clinical significance in patients with premature ovarian failure.
METHODS
Twenty eight patients with primary or secondary amenorrhea manifesting hormonal and clinical features of premature ovarian failure (primary POF: 7, secondary POF: 21) were investigated. We tested them TFT, 75 g OGTT, ACTH and S-cortisol for thyroiditis, IDDM, Addison's disease, and antithyoglobulin antibody, antimicrosomal antibody, antinuclear antibody, rheumatic factor, anti-smooth muscle antibody, anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody for non-organ specific autoimmune disorders.
RESULTS
Only one patient was diagnosed as IDDM and no patients had abnormal TFT or adrenal function test. More than one kind of autoantibody was detected in 11 patients of all (39.2%): 5 patients (71.4%) of primary POF group and 6 patients (21.4%) of secondary POF group. Eleven patients (39.3%) had antithyroglobulin antibody, 4 (14.3%) had antimicrosomal antibody, 2 (7.1%) had antinuclear antibody, 2 (7.1%) had rheumatic factor, 1 (3.6%) had anti-smooth muscle antibody, 1 (3.6%) had anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody.
CONCLUSIONS
Premature ovarian failure may occur as a component of an autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, so patients should be measured with free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, fasting glucose and electrolytes. Measurement of thyroid autoantibodies in POF patients may be important in identifying patients at risk of developing overt hypothyoidism, but other autoantibodies may not be suitable for screening test.

Keyword

Premature ovarian failure; Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome; Autoantibodies

MeSH Terms

Addison Disease
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Amenorrhea
Antibodies
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Autoantibodies
Autoimmune Diseases*
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1
Electrolytes
Endocrine System Diseases
Fasting
Female
Glucose
Glucose Tolerance Test
Humans
Mass Screening
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*
Thyroid Gland
Thyroiditis
Thyrotropin
Thyroxine
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Antibodies
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Autoantibodies
Electrolytes
Glucose
Thyrotropin
Thyroxine