ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION The thyroid is the target of the most common autoimmune diseases [1], which produce the full spectrum of thyroid dysfunction from hyperthyroid Graves’ disease (GD) to hypothyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). In common with other autoimmune conditions, autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) are more prevalent in women, especially in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Furthermore, AITD may arise in individuals or families suffering with other organ-specific autoimmune disorders, particularly pernicious anemia and type 1 diabetes.
