A woman reports eliminating coffee, sugar, soy, milk, wheat, and various gluten-containing products from her diet has helped control her Hashimoto disease. She no longer has any symptoms, and her labs are all within normal limits. Do any studies support her claims? — Kathleen Dupong, PA-C, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Several case studies have provided evidence to support a relationship among autoimmune disorders, including thyroid disease, celiac disease, rheumatologic disorders and diabetes mellitus. There is strong evidence indicating autoimmune phenomena as the pathogenesis of Hashimoto disease and celiac disease.
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Individuals with celiac disease are four times more likely to develop autoimmune thyroid disease than those without celiac disease. It is recommended that clinicians screen patients with Hashimoto disease for celiac disease and vice versa (World J. Gastroenterol. 2007;13:1715-1722). — Claire Babcock O’Connell, MPH, PA-C (174-3)
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