Anti-thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor Antibodies Research Articles

Thyroid Autoimmunity and Spontaneous Cervical Artery Dissection

The possibility that a disorder of immunity might have a role in the mechanism of local inflammatory alterations leading to spontaneous cervical artery dissection (sCAD) has been recently advocated. We explored this hypothesis in a case-control study, including patients with sCAD (n=29) and patients with non-CAD ischemic stroke (non-CAD; n=29). Serum levels of antithyroperoxidase, antithyroglobulin, and antithyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, antidouble-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid antibodies, antiextractable nuclear antigen antibodies, rheumatoid factor, C3 and C4 complement fraction, and cryoglobulins were measured in all subjects. Antithyroid autoimmunity was found in 31.0% (9 of 29) of patients with sCAD and 6.9% (2 of 29) of patients with non-CAD ischemic stroke (P=0.041). Autoimmunity may be involved in the process of local inflammation related to sCAD occurrence. The hypothesis that the arterial disease might be one phenotypic expression of a generalized activation of immunity warrants further investigations.

ANTI–TSH RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibodies are pathophysiologic and clinical indicators in autoimmune thyroid diseases, not only in Graves' disease. The detection of these antibodies is useful for diagnostic and management purposes. The presence and titers of anti-TSH receptor antibodies, however, have to be interpreted in light of the clinical and other biological characteristics of each patient. Newer, more sensitive assays of anti-TSH receptor antibodies may increase their significance in the diagnosis and management of autoimmune thyroid diseases and Graves' disease.