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Comparison of some different methods for analysis of thyroid autoantibodies: importance of thyroglobulin
B Lindberg1, J Svensson, U B Ericsson
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. bengt.lindberg@pediatrik.mas.lu.se
Abstract:
Blood samples from 141 children and adolescents were used to evaluate differences between commercial kits and radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods for detecting thyroid autoantibodies. Thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Tg-Ab) were analyzed with a hemagglutination kit and a RIA; thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (TPO-Ab) were measured with a gelagglutination assay and a RIA. The results of the antibody tests were compared with thyroid function tests (triiodothyronine [T3], thyroxine [T4], thyrotropin [TSH]) and with the results of ultrasound of the thyroid in antibody-positive patients. The correlation of antibody levels between the two methods was higher for TPO-Ab than for Tg-Ab. Moderate to high levels of TPO-Ab correlated to elevated TSH levels. Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) was found in 6 of the 141 children. The RIA-based thyroglobulin assay was the only test that identified autoantibodies in all 6 cases. In contrast, the hemagglutination kit thyroglobulin assay failed to identify 4 of the 6 AIT cases.