In this study, we investigated 135 FFPETs from females previously diagnosed with HT and gravis disease, with 129 (95.6%) and 6 (4.4%) cases, respectively. The patients' ages ranged from 20 to 87 years, with a mean age of 52.76 ± 14.97 years. Among the age groups, 63 (46.7%) patients were in the (40–59) years category, which was the majority, while those over 79 years were the least represented, with only 4 (3.0%) cases. The (40–59) and (60–79) years age groups had 44 (32.6%) and 24 (17.8%) patients, respectively.
In terms of residency, the majority of patients were from central Sudan, with 47 (34.8%) cases, followed by northern Sudan, with 25 (18.5%) cases. Southern Sudan had 17 (12.6%) cases. The majority of patients in the study had only a secondary school education, with 48 (35.6%) cases.
Based on the cases family history 28 (20.7%) of the patients had family history of HT disease (Table 1).
Table 1
Distribution of the Gravis disease and Hashimoto Thyroiditis by patients’ demographics.
| Diagnosis | Total | P value |
| Gravis disease | Hashimoto Thyroiditis |
Patient age group |
20 to 39 years | 1 (4.2%) | 23 (95.8%) | 24 (17.8%) | 0.257 |
40 to 59 years | 5 (7.9%) | 58 (92.1%) | 63 (46.7%) |
60 to 79 years | 0 (0.0%) | 44 (100%) | 44 (32.6%) |
More than 79 years | 0 (0.0%) | 4 (100%) | 4 (3.0%) |
Patient residence |
Central Sudan | 2 (4.3%) | 45 (95.7%) | 47 (34.8%) | 0.819 |
Northern Sudan | 2 (8.0%) | 23 (92.0%) | 25 (18.5%) |
Western Sudan | 1 (4.5%) | 21 (95.5%) | 22 (16.3%) |
Eastern Sudan | 1 (4.2%) | 23 (95.8%) | 24 (17.8%) |
Southern Sudan | 0 (0.0%) | 17 (100%) | 17 (12.6%) |
Patient educational level |
Illiterate | 0 (0.0%) | 15 (100%) | 15 (11.1%) | 0.109 |
Khalwa | 1 (6.7%) | 14 (93.3%) | 15 (11.1%) |
Primary School | 0 (0.0%) | 27 (100%) | 27 (20.0%) |
Secondary School | 5 (10.4%) | 43 (89.6%) | 48 (35.6%) |
University | 0 (0.0%) | 30 (100%) | 30 (22.2%) |
Family history of Hashimoto thyroiditis |
Yes | 0 (0.0%) | 28 (100%) | 28 (20.7%) | 0.241 |
No | 6 (5.6%) | 101 (94.4%) | 107 (79.3%) |
Total | 6 (4.4%) | 129 (95.6%) | 135 (100%) | |
The analysis showed that the results of EBV detection were not significantly associated with patients' demographics and family history of HT, with p-values greater than 0.05. However, the highest frequency of EBV detection was observed among patients residing in southern Sudan, with a rate of 23.5%, followed by northern Sudan (16.0%), central Sudan (10.6%), western Sudan (4.5%), and eastern Sudan (4.2%). The comparison of EBV detection frequency according to residency did not reveal any statistical significance, with a p-value of 0.248. The frequency of patients with EBV and a family history of HT was lower than that of patients with no family history, with rates of 7.1% and 12.1%, respectively. In terms of age group, patients aged between 60 to 79 years had the highest frequency of EBV infection, with a rate of 15.9% (Table 2).
Table 2
Distribution of EBV infection by patients’ demographics.
| EBV detection | Total | P value |
| Positive | Negative | | |
Patient residence | | | | |
Central Sudan | 5 (10.6%) | 42 (89.4%) | 47 (34.8%) | 0.248 |
Northern Sudan | 4 (16.0%) | 21 (84.0%) | 25 (18.5%) |
Western Sudan | 1 (4.5%) | 21 (95.5%) | 22 (16.3%) |
Eastern Sudan | 1 (4.2%) | 23 (95.8%) | 24 (17.8%) |
Southern Sudan | 4 (23.5%) | 13 (76.5%) | 17 (12.6%) |
Patient education level | | | | |
Illiterate | 1 (6.7%) | 14 (93.3%) | 15 (11.1%) | 0.148 |
Khalwa | 4 (26.7%) | 11 (73.3%) | 15 (11.1%) |
Primary School | 2 (7.4%) | 25 (92.6%) | 27 (20.0%) |
Secondary School | 7 (14.6%) | 41 (85.4%) | 48 (35.6%) |
University | 1 (3.3%) | 29 (96.7%) | 30 (22.2%) |
Family history of thyroiditis | | | | |
Yes | 2 (7.1%) | 26 (92.9%) | 28 (20.7%) | 0.358 |
No | 13 (12.1%) | 94 (87.9%) | 107 (79.3%) |
Patient age group | | | | |
20 to 39 years | 3 (12.5%) | 21 (87.5%) | 24 (17.8%) | 0.529 |
40 to 59 years | 5 (7.9%) | 58 (92.1%) | 63 (46.7%) |
60 to 79 years | 7 (15.9%) | 37 (84.1%) | 44 (32.6%) |
More than 79 years | 0 (0.0%) | 4 (100%) | 4 (3.0%) |
Total | 15 (11.1%) | 120 (88.9%) | 135 (100%) | |
The analysis of EBV detection based on the patients' previous diagnosis revealed that none of the patients diagnosed with Gravis disease had a positive result for EBV. On the other hand, all patients who tested positive for EBV were diagnosed with HT. However, no statistically significant association was found between EBV detection and HT diagnosis, with a p-value of 0.486 (Table 3).
Table 3
Association between EBV infection, HT, and Gravis disease.
| | Histopathological diagnosis | Total | P value | Odds ratio | 95% Confidence Interval |
| HT | Gravis disease | Lower | Upper |
EBV detection | Positive | 15 (100%) | 0 (0.0%) | 15 (11.1%) | 0.486 | 1.056 | 1.010 | 1.097 |
Negative | 114 (95.0%) | 6 (5.0%) | 120 (88.9%) |
| Total | 129 (95.6%) | 6 (4.4%) | 135 (100%) | | | | |