CHICAGO – Patients with hypothyroidism who needed higher doses of levothyroxine were more likely to have celiac disease, according to a study released at the annual Digestive Disease Week.
In a study of 400 patients with hypothyroidism, about 5% of those who needed at least 125 mcg/day of levothyroxine also had celiac disease, according to Dr. Richard Zubarik of the University of Vermont, Burlington. That prevalence rate tops even the rate among patients with iron deficiency anemia, for whom celiac disease screening is recommended.
In a video interview, Dr. Zubarik explains which patients with hypothyroidism should be screened for celiac disease, and he discusses what mechanisms might link the need for higher levels of levothyroxine with an increased risk of celiac disease.
