Table 3.

Statistical analysis^† and mathematical correlation^‡ between cytokine-positive cells and patients' characteristics

	IL-2	IL-4	IFN-γ
†Sex (male versus female)	P = 0·0835	P = 0·5852	P = 0·1344
†Function (euthyroidism versus subclinical hypothyroidism)	P = 0·3910	P = 0·1784	P = 0·6047
‡Age (years)
Isolated HT	P = 0·0943	P = 0·0781	P = 0·0151§
HT+ NEAD	P = 0·8884	P = 0·1887	P = 0·1236
‡AbTPO (serum concentrations)	P = 0·8757	P = 0·2584	P = 0·9917
‡AbTg (serum concentrations)	P = 0·3631	P = 0·2262	P = 0·9545

^†Non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-test was used as statistical analysis.

^‡Non-parametric correlation (Spearman's r test) was used for statistical analysis

^§r = 0·4194.

AbTPO, anti-thyroperoxidase autoantibody; AbTg, autoantibody thyroglobulin; HT, Hashimoto's thyroiditis; NEAD, non-endocrine autoimmune diseases; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin.