Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy

Endocrinopatía múltiple autoinmune

Autoantibodies are blood proteins produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Autoantibodies may be present before signs and symptoms occur. A polyendocrinopathy is characterized by the coexistence of at least two endocrine glands insufficiency and may be associated with another non-endocrine autoimmune illness including vitiligo, alopecia areata, autoimmune gastritis and pernicious anemia. It is classified into three types of autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS).  In Europe the incidence of APS-1 is less than one new case per 100000 persons per year and the incidence of the other two APS types vary between1 to 2 new cases per 100000 persons per year. APS incidence in Colombia cannot be estimated due to lack of records on this subject. We report the case of an 18-year-old male with autoimmune hypothyroidism diagnosed at 15 years of age, with onset of diabetic ketoacidosis at 17 followed by vitiligo. Therapy with levothyroxine 100 mcg daily and insulin glargine 10 units daily did not yield successful correction of APS in the patient. This patient was affected by APS- IIIA, characterized by the association of autoimmune hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus and vitiligo, as the last manifestation. Detecting an autoimmune polyendocrinopathy in young patients should raise the suspicion of APS

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