Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies are the serological hallmark of autoimmune thyroid disease and are often used for the establishment of the diagnosis of Graves’ disease (GD).

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic value of the anti-TPO antibodies in a series of patients with GD.

Patients and methods: All patients presenting to our Department with GD between 1/2004-6/2007 were studied. The diagnosis was based on the findings of the thyroid uptake scan and/or the presence of Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Anti-TPO antibodies were measured by an indirect non-competitive enzyme immunoassay (Varelisa TPO antibodies, Phadia GmbH, Freiburg, Germany, reference range 0–60 IU/ml).

Results: Two hundred and thirty-six patients were identified (193 females/43 males, median age 43.5 years (range 17–88)). 121/236 (51.3%) subjects had anti-TPO levels above the reference range.

There was no difference in the rate of males and females with titers <60 IU/ml (51.3 vs 37.2%). There was no difference in the levels between females and males (298.2±582.4 vs 377.0±697.7). There was a significant negative correlation between age and antibody titers (Spearman’s correlation co-efficient r=–0.3; P<0.01). There was no difference in the age between those with levels < 60 IU/ml and those with >60 IU/ml (48.4±15.6 vs 41.7±12.4 years).

Conclusions: The measurement of the anti-TPO antibodies with the above method in patients with GD is not associated with optimal diagnostic utility and therefore, its use in the routine practice for the establishment of the diagnosis of GD is debatable.