Thyroid Disorders and Anti-Thyroid Antibody Level in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in Children

Background: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children and is recognized as an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune thyroid disorders are known to co-occur with rheumatologic diseases, yet their association in pediatric JIA remains underexplored. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of thyroid disorders and anti-thyroid antibody levels in children diagnosed with JIA. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study included 70 children with JIA (Group I) and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (Group II), conducted at BSMMU from April 2021 to March 2022. Thyroid function tests (FT3, FT4, TSH) and anti-thyroid antibodies (anti-TG and anti-TPO) were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassay. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0, with significance set at p Results: TSH levels were significantly higher in the JIA group compared to controls (p = 0.015), while FT3 and FT4 levels did not differ significantly. Anti-TG and anti-TPO antibodies were significantly elevated in JIA patients (p = 0.006 and p = 0.013, respectively). Subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in 12.9% of JIA patients, all of whom were antibody positive. Antibody-positive patients had significantly higher TSH and lower FT3 and FT4 levels compared to antibody-negative patients. Conclusion: Children with JIA exhibit a higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and elevated anti-thyroid antibodies compared to healthy peers. Routine screening for thyroid dysfunction may be warranted in this population for early identification and management.