Variation in rates of autoimmune thyroid disease by race/ethnicity in US military personnel.
Publication Status: Published
Sponsoring Organization: Undetermined
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Congressionally Mandated: No
Funding Source: Government, academic, or industry source other than Federal Government
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Principle Investigator Status: Academia
Primary DoD Data Source: Defense Medical Surveillance System
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Abstract
The relationship between Graves disease and race/ethnicity is undefined. Based on thyroid antibody prevalence, the rates of Hashimoto thyroiditis may be highest in whites and lowest in blacks. Using a large and comprehensive data set of medical diagnoses for all US active duty service personnel, we calculated age-standardized incidence rates for Graves disease and Hashimoto thyroiditis by race/ethnicity. Compared with whites, the IRR for Graves disease was significantly elevated in black women (IRR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.56-2.37) and men (IRR, 2.53; 95% CI, 2.01-3.18) and Asian/Pacific Islander women (IRR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.20-2.66) and men (IRR, 3.36; 95% CI, 2.57-4.40) (Figure). In contrast, Hashimoto thyroiditis incidence was highest in whites and lowest in black women (IRR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.21-0.51) and men (IRR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.11-0.47) and Asian/Pacific Islander women (IRR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17-0.56) and men (IRR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.07-0.72). The differences in incidence by race/ethnicity may be due to different environmental exposures, genetics, or a combination of both. Our results are not easily attributable to the strongest known environmental risk factor, cigarette smoking.
Citation:
McLeod DS, Caturegli P, Cooper DS, Matos PG, Hutfless S. Variation in rates of autoimmune thyroid disease by race/ethnicity in US military personnel. JAMA. 2014 Apr 16;311(15):1563-5.