De Ritis score as an inflammatory marker in Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Abstract

Abstract Background The aim of the study was assessing the De Ritis score, an inflammatory marker, in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) patients which is characterized with autoimmunity and chronic inflammation. Methods Between October 2021 and October 2022, the subjects in our outpatient clinics diagnosed with thyroiditis and healthy controls enrolled to the study. Age, gender, and laboratory parameters including C‐reactive protein (CRP), alanine (ALT), and aspartate (AST) transaminases, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4 (FT4), were obtained and recorded for all participants, retrospectively. Division of AST by ALT was the formula to calculate the De Ritis score. Characteristics and laboratory data of the study and healthy controls were compared. Results Median de Ritis ratio of the HT group (1.11 (0.56)%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.91 (0.41)%), (p < .001). A positive and significant correlation between De Ritis score and CRP (r = 0.46, p < .001) values. ROC analysis revealed the sensitivity and the specificity of CRP in predicting HT were higher than those of the De Ritis score. A De Ritis score higher than 0.9% has 67% sensitivity and 50% specificity in selecting patients with thyroiditis (AUC: 0.69, p < .001, 95% CI: 0.63–0.76). Conclusions We think that elevated De Ritis score can be used as an adjunctive tool in the diagnosis of HT.

Keywords

• autoimmune thyroid disease
• De Ritis score
• Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• inflammation