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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1991; 97(2/03): 127-132
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1211051
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© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Relevance of Genetic Susceptibility in Graves' Disease and Immune Thyroiditis

H. Schleusener1 , U. Bogner1 , H. Peters1 , P. Kotulla1 , D. Schmieg1 , A. Grüters2 , W. R. Mayr3
  • 1Department of Endocrinology, Medical Clinic, Klinikum Steglitz, Aachen/Germany
  • 2Children's Hospital, Free University of Berlin, Aachen/Germany
  • 3Department of Transfusion Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH; Aachen/Germany
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Publication Date:
16 July 2009 (online)

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Summary

It has been known for a long time that there is an increased incidence of Graves' disease and immune thyroiditis in certain families. Genetic research of this disease has shown that it is most probably transmitted in a multifactorial way, i.e. that environmental as well as genetic factors play a role in the genesis of the diseases.

This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the rate of concordance is maximally 50% in identical twins. The following model of threshold values is conceivable for the formal genetics of Graves' disease and immune thyroiditis: the diseases break out whenever the sum of environmental (viruses, bacteria, iodine excess, hormones, stress) and genetic (MHC and non MHC-restricted) factors is higher than a given threshold. One of the major genes influencing the genesis of the diseases seems to be HLA-DR3 (or a closely linked gene in strong linkage disequilibrium). If this gene is present, fewer environmental factors are possibly needed.