The blood hemoglobin (Hb), iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine and TSH concentrations and the serum GPCA level in 190 TGA- or TMA-positive patients were measured and compared with the corresponding levels in 190 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects.
We found that 31 (16.3%), 27 (14.2%), 12 (6.3%), and 2 (1.1%) TGA- or TMA-positive patients had deficiencies of Hb (Men < 13 g/dL, Women < 12 g/dL), iron (< 60 渭g/dL), vitamin B12 (< 200 pg/mL), and folic acid (< 4 ng/mL), respectively. Moreover, 25 (13.2%) and 48 (25.3%) TGA- or TMA-positive patients had abnormally high blood homocysteine level and serum GPCA positivity, respectively. TGA- or TMA-positive patients had a significantly higher frequency of Hb (p < 0.001), iron (p < 0.001), or vitamin B12 deficiency (p = 0.001), of abnormally elevated blood homocysteine level (p = 0.001), or of serum GPCA positivity (p < 0.001) than healthy control subjects. Of 190 TGA- or TMA-positive patients, 8 (4.2%) had lower serum TSH level (< 0.1 渭IU/mL, suggestive of hyperthyroidism), 163 (85.8%) had serum TSH level within normal range (0.1-4.5 渭IU/mL), and 19 (10%) had higher serum TSH level (>4.5 渭IU/mL, suggestive of hypothyroidis).
There are significant deficiencies of hemoglobin, iron, and vitamin B12, abnormally high blood homocysteine levels, and serum GPCA positivity in TGA- or TMA-positive patients. In addition, the majority (85.8%) of TGA- or TMA-positive patients had euthyroid and only a small portion (14.2%) of TGA- or TMA-positive patients had either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.