Will gp acknowledge blue horizon tests?

[dianef2303]

After several failed attempts at my gp's surgery to get my blood tests done I opted for blue horizon tests. Results show high anti thryoidperoxidase abs 84.3 -range <34 and anti thyroglobulin abs 310 - range <115. I have a multi nodular goitre, psorasis and psoratic arthritis, high cholestetol, fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, dry skin, brain fog and about 20 other symptoms of Hashimotos autoimmune thyroidits. My question is will my gp acknowledge my private test results and how should I prepare for my appt with him?

[VulpusVulpus]

"These are a comprehensive set of thyroid function tests doen by an NHS accredited lab. Please help me go through the results and see if it casts any light on why I'm feeling the way I am".

If he's going to fuss over the fact it's a BH test, then ask him to match the range of tests himself.

[dianef2303 in reply to VulpusVulpus]

That is a good way of putting it. I am not usually known for my tact!!

[RedApple Administrator]

The usual attitiude of GPs here in the UK is to discount any test that wasn't authorised by an NHS doctor. But maybe you can use it as the reason to persuade your GP to do the relevant tests.

I don't think the GP will connect psoriasis to thyroid dysfunction either. Might be worth looking into gut related problems as the source of your psoriasis. Some people have found kefir to be very helpful with skin conditions. I have no direct connection to this kefir producer, just pointing it out in case it's of interest. chucklinggoat.co.uk

[bluebug in reply to RedApple]

Nope not in my case or other people I know.

We have been openly been told to get vitamin D tested privately as the NHS can't afford to do it yearly. They then don't tell us the providers.

Additionally in my case iron deficiency aneamia was acted on due to a lab test by Blue Horizons. (This was when I had a top of range ferritin level but below range haemoglobin level.)

As mentioned many times the NHS is a postcode lottery so I suspect GPs in my area have worked out private tests save them money. They also know some people are time poor so a private test means going to a hospital once rather than 3+ appointments​ just to actually fight be given the blood forms and then get tested.

[helvella Administrator]

Some people think there is an assciation between psoriasis and thyroid:

Int J Dermatol. 2017 May;56(5):553-556. doi: 10.1111/ijd.13459. Epub 2017 Feb 19.

Evidence for the association of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with psoriasis: a cross-sectional retrospective study.

Kiguradze T1, Bruins FM1, Guido N1, Bhattacharya T1, Rademaker A2, Florek AG1, Posligua A1, Amin S1, Laumann AE1, West DP1, Nardone B1.

Author information

1

Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.

2

Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Current information indicates that psoriasis is a metabolic disorder with systemic manifestations. Reports have revealed an association between psoriasis and several chronic autoimmune disorders. For one of these disorders, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), there are scarce, and relatively unconfirmed, reports of an association with psoriasis. We sought to determine if such an association is detectable in a large medical record data repository.

METHODS:

We searched one institution's electronic medical record data repository from January 2010 to December 2013. Patients were identified by ICD-9 codes (psoriasis: 696.0; 696.1, HT: 245.2). Only data from patients with laboratory-confirmed HT (anti-thyroid peroxidase [anti-TPO] antibodies; thyroglobulin antibodies; serum thyroid-stimulating hormone; and free T3) were eligible for inclusion. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain an odds ratio (OR) to establish an association between psoriasis and HT. Stratified analyses were performed to test for confounding variable and effect modification.

RESULTS:

Medical records for 856,615 individuals with documented encounters between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, were detected. A total of 9654 had a diagnosis of psoriasis, and 1745 had a diagnosis of HT. Of these, 41 subjects were diagnosed with both conditions. A significant association existed for psoriasis and HT, even after adjusting for confounding variables that included gender, age, psoriatic arthropathy, and the use of systemic anti-psoriatic agents (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 1.79-3.48; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

This association has broad clinical impact and deserves further attention with regard to patient care, clinical research, and developmental therapeutics.

© 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

PMID:

28217937

PMCID:

PMC5383506

[Available on 2018-05-01]

DOI:

10.1111/ijd.13459

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/282...

Whereas others think there is none:

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2017 Jan;31(1):102-106. doi: 10.1111/jdv.13767. Epub 2016 Jun 21.

No association of psoriasis with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Vassilatou E1, Papadavid E2, Papastamatakis P2, Alexakos D1, Koumaki D2, Katsimbri P3, Hadjidakis D1,4, Dimitriadis G4, Rigopoulos D2.

Author information

1

Endocrine Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic and Research Center, Athens University Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

2

2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Athens University Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

3

Rheumatology Unit, 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

4

2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic and Research Center, Athens University Medical School, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Common autoimmune diseases tend to coexist in the same patients. Few studies have examined the possible association between autoimmune thyroiditis and psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), with inconsistent results.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in psoriatic patients with or without PsA, living in an iodine-sufficient area.

METHODS:

We studied prospectively, 114 psoriatic patients with disease duration of 5-38 years, 30 of them with PsA, and 286 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched subjects without psoriasis or known thyroid disease or autoimmune disease. A detailed medical history was obtained from all participants and clinical examination and laboratory evaluation was performed. Psoriasis severity was assessed with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Autoimmune thyroiditis was defined by the presence of positive autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase and/or thyroglobulin.

RESULTS:

There was no difference in the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis between psoriatic patients and controls (20.2% vs. 19.6%). The prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in male and female psoriatic patients was similar (9.6% and 10.5% respectively), in contrast to the increased, as expected, prevalence in female vs. male controls (14.7% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.01). Detected cases with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis were similar in psoriatic patients and controls (7.9% and 7.0% respectively). Autoimmune thyroiditis in psoriatic patients was not related with age of psoriasis onset, psoriasis duration, PASI score, PsA and obesity.

CONCLUSION:

These data support that psoriatic patients with or without PsA do not have an increased risk for autoimmune thyroiditis.

© 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

PMID:

27324349

DOI:

10.1111/jdv.13767

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/273...

And another 198 papers discussing the issue (at least, containg the words "psoriasis" and "thyroid").

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?te...

[RedApple Administrator]

Absolutely, private testing can be very helpful for our own understanding of what's going on. But NHS doctors rarely act on them in terms of diagnosing or prescribing.