GENETIC AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF AUTOIMMUNE THYROIDITIS

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is one of the most common autoimmune endocrine disorders characterized by chronic inflammatory destruction of thyroid tissue mediated by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. The disease develops due to complex interactions between immune dysregulation and genetic susceptibility, leading to progressive thyroid dysfunction. The aim of this study was to analyze the major genetic and immunological predictors associated with autoimmune thyroiditis and evaluate their role in early diagnosis and disease progression. The review demonstrated that specific genetic polymorphisms, including HLA genes, CTLA-4, PTPN22, and FOXP3, are significantly associated with increased susceptibility to autoimmune thyroid diseases. Immunological predictors such as elevated antithyroid antibodies, cytokine imbalance, T-cell dysregulation, and chronic inflammatory activation also play a central role in disease pathogenesis. Identification of these predictors may improve early diagnosis, risk stratification, and personalized therapeutic approaches in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.