An analysis of thyrotrophin receptor binding and thyroid stimulating activities in a series of Graves' sera

Improved receptor and bioassays have been used to compare TSH receptor binding and thyroid stimulating activities in unextracted sera from 110 patients with Graves' disease. The two parameters showed a significant correlation (r = 0.65; P less than 0.001) although there were some clear discrepancies. Dose-response studies in 17 sera showed that both receptor binding and thyroid stimulating responses always increased with increasing doses of serum. In patients who were in relapse or remission following antithyroid drug treatment, the results of both bio- and receptor assays correlated well with disease activity with only one clear discrepancy which could have been attributable to the coexistence of autoimmune stimulation and destruction of the thyroid.