There was no sex predilection for anti-TPO antibody positivity (male 2.8%, female 4.4%) but more children with deranged thyroid hormonal status (subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism) had anti-TPO antibody positivity than euthyroid children (9.5 vs 1.9%, P=0.005). This evidence concerns the gene TPO and hypothyroidism.