thyroid antibody screen Flashcards
Describe the correlation between raised serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies and the presence of focal thyroiditis.
Raised serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies correlate with the presence of focal thyroiditis in thyroid tissue.
What are the two types of thyroid antibodies that are commonly detected in patients with thyroid diseases?
The two types of thyroid antibodies commonly detected are antithyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) and anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb).
Define autoimmune thyroiditis.
Autoimmune thyroiditis refers to chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland caused by an autoimmune response.
What is the prevalence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in adult females and males based on early postmortem studies?
27% of adult females and 7% of adult males were found to have histological evidence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
Describe the serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies in patients with hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis.
Patients with hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis usually have high serum concentrations of antithyroid antibodies.
What is the relationship between antithyroid antibodies and Graves’ disease?
Antithyroid antibodies are often detected in the serum of patients with Graves’ disease, but the concentrations are usually lower compared to other thyroid diseases.
Explain the variation in the frequency and distribution of antithyroid antibodies.
There is considerable variation in the frequency and distribution of antithyroid antibodies due to differences in detection techniques, definition of abnormal titres, and differences in the populations tested.
Describe the prevalence of asymptomatic chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in the community.
A significant proportion of subjects in the community have asymptomatic chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, with a substantial proportion having subclinical hypothyroidism.
How does the percentage of subjects with high serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies change with age and gender?
The percentage of subjects with high serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies increases with age in both males and females, with higher prevalence in females compared to males.
What is the relationship between high serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies and ethnicity?
High serum concentrations of thyroid antibodies are less prevalent in blacks compared to other ethnic groups.
What is the significance of a hypoechoic ultrasound pattern in relation to autoimmune thyroid disease?
A hypoechoic ultrasound pattern may precede the detection of antithyroid antibodies in autoimmune thyroid disease.
What percentage of individuals with ultrasound evidence of thyroid autoimmunity may not have detectable antithyroid antibodies?
More than 20% of individuals with ultrasound evidence of thyroid autoimmunity may not have detectable antithyroid antibodies.
