Thyroid autoimmunity in Greenlandic Inuit

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to provide the first data on the occurrence of thyroid autoimmunity among Inuit in Greenland, a distinct ethnic group who is not iodine deficient. Design: This study is a population-based cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected in Nuuk in West Greenland and in Ammassali k district in East Greenland. Information on lifestyle, diet and diseases was obtained using questionnaires. Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured in serum. Iodin e and creatinine were measured in spot urine samples. Results: The participation rate was 95% with 434 Inuit participants; 75 % were smokers. Iodine excretion was 169 μg/24 h in urban West Greenland, 224 μ g/24 h in the main town and 228 μg/24 h in settlements in rural East Greenland. TP OAb, TgAb or either of these was measured in the serum from 3.7, 5.9 and 8.3% of parti cipants, respectively. TPOAb or TgAb was found in 9.3% of Inuit women and 7.5% of men and more frequently, in East Greenland Inuit with the higher iodine excretion ( P = 0.02). There was some evidence suggesting that thyroid autoimmunity was more frequent among non-smokers (12.5%) compared to smokers (7.0%). Harbouring a thyroid autoan tibody was most frequent in participants with TSH above 3.6 mIU/L (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Thyroid autoantibodies were rare among Greenland Inuit. While iodine nutrition was associated with autoimmunity similarly to other e thnic groups, the influence of sex and smoking was limited. This could suggest gen etic component in Inuit, but the impact of cold, selenium and persistent organic pollutants needs to be elucidated.

Keywords

• thyroid autoimmunity
• iodine excretion
• greenland inuit
• arctic environment