engleski

A Determination of Thyrotropin Receptor Autoanibodies in Graves'Disese

A Determination of Thyrotropin Receptor Autoantibodies in Graves' in Disease N.Gregurić, Lj. Berić and Z.Bence-Žigman Clinical Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, University Clinical Hospital Rebro, Zagreb, Croatia Background.The detection of autoantibodies to the TSH-receptor (TRAb) is largely employed in clinical practice for the diagnostic work-up and management of patients with Graves' disease. However, TRAb assay is a high-cost procedure and the cost-benefit of its clinical usefulness is not definitive. The aim of our work was the evaluation of the TRAb accuracy in diagnosis of Graves disease and prediction of disease relapse after pharmacologic thyreostasis discontinuation. Patients and methods.Included in the study were 78 patients with Graves' disease. Graves' disease was diagnosed initially according to standard clinical criteria. Patients were grouped according to their metabolic state: patients with active Graves' disease on therapy with antithyroid drugs (group 1, n=48), patients after receiving treatment therapy with 131-J (group 2, n=21), and patients in remission without treatment with antithyroid drugs (group 3, n=9). A second generation RRA (TRAK-RIA, BHRAMS) was used for the quantitative determination of TRAb in patients sera. Results.TRAb assay showed a positive value (above 5U/L)in 35 out of 48 in group 1 patients. Among 21 group 2 patients, TRAb was positive in 17 out of 21 patients. In the group of patients in remission and without therapy, TRAb was positive in 7 out of 9 patients (group 3). Conclusions. TRAb assay is a useful laboratory test to confirm Graves' disease and also in monitoring of the disease. For clinical purpose this test represents an improvement in the management of Graves' disease. However, TRAb is not a reliable indicator of disease relapse.

Graves' Disease; Thyrotropin Receptor Autoantibodies

nije evidentirano