Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2008) 15 P334

SFEBES2008 Poster Presentations Thyroid (68 abstracts)

The value of the anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies measurement in the diagnosis of Graves’ disease

Virginia Martin Borge , Cristina Capatina , Violet Fazal-Sanderson , John AH Wass & Niki Karavitaki


Department of Endocrinology, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK.


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.

Titers of Abs (IU/ml)0–606–120>120
No of patients (%)115/236 (48.7%)23/236 (9.7%)98/236 (41.5%)

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.

Article tools

My recent searches

No recent searches.