Increased risk of endocrine autoimmunity in first-degree relatives of patients with autoimmune Addison's disease.

Objective: Autoimmune conditions tend to cluster in subjects with Addison's disease (AD) and probably also among their relatives. The aim of the study was to estimate the frequency of the endocrine gland-specific autoantibodies in first-degree relatives of patients with AD.

Methods: Autoantibodies were investigated in 113 family members using RIA and ELISA assays.