[Increased urinary excretion of neopterin in patients with Graves-Basedow disease]

In 12 patients with Graves'-Basedows' disease treated with carbimazole, the mean urinary neopterin, excretion (indicator of stimulation of cellular immunity) was 757.17 +/- 184.17 (95% confidence limit) mumol/mol creatinine with a range of 367-1420. In 12 healthy subjects of matching age and sex who served as controls the mean excretion was 422.0 +/- 96.38 (range 115 to 711, p less than 0.01). It cannot be ruled out that this increase is due to the immunomodulating action of carbimazole.