Interaction of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Thyroid Disease

The thyroid gland (TG) is an iodine-producing (thyroid) hormone-producing gland that regulates the production of other hormones through secretions. Thyroid hormones influence the metabolism of all organs in the body and are involved in the growth and formation of all organs and tissues. First of all, it stimulates heat generation, increases the absorption of oxygen by tissues, and enhances oxidative processes in the body. In a physiological dose, thyroid hormones stimulate the synthesis of intracellular proteins, the excess of which accelerates the process of dissimilation.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a widespread (1% of the world's population) autoimmune disease characterized by symmetrical erosive arthritis (synovitis) and damage to organs other than joints. Manifestations of RA are: joint pain, dysfunction and progressive deformation of joints, irreversible changes in internal organs leading to early disability (one third of patients become disabled within 20 years from the onset of the disease) and reduced life expectancy of patients (on average 5-15 years)

It has been reported that goiter, hypothyroidism, chronic adrenal insufficiency and other pathologies of the endocrine glands are more common in patients with RA. Thyroid hormones increase the activity of metabolic processes, enhance lipogenesis, increase the absorption of glucose by adipose and muscle tissue, and activate gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.