To clarify the prevalence of thyroid disorders in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 45 SLE patients not receiving corticosteroid therapy for at least 6 months were selected over a period of 1 year. They were investigated by utilizing thyroid ultrasonography and by determinations of thyroid antibodies and thyroid function. Of these patients, 24 (53.3%) showed abnormal sonographic findings. Thyroid antibodies (microsomal and/or thyroglobulin) were detected in 21 patients (46.7%), but a low index of thyrotropinbinding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) was found in only one euthyroid patient with a normal echogram. Ten patients (22.2%) had abnormal thyroid function. The mean disease duration was longer in patients with thyroid anomalies (p<0.05). hashimoto's="" thyroiditis="" was="" found="" in="" four="" patients="" (8.8%),="" two="" of="" whom="" had="" hypothyroidism.="" we="" concluded="" that="" thyroid="" anomalies="" are="" frequently="" found="" in="" patients="" with="" sle="" in="" the="" area="" of="" this="" study.="" the="" possibility="" of="" the="" coexistence="" of="" thyroid="" disorders="" in="" systemic="" lupus="" erythematosus="" should="" be="" carefully="" considered="" throught="" the="" course="" of="" patients'="" follow-up,="" especially="" in="" those="" with="" a="" long="" disease="">