Thyroid antibodies in healthy blood donors

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Immunology
• Public Health

Background:

• Thyroid antibodies are markers of autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Prevalence data in healthy populations are essential for understanding disease epidemiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of thyroid antibodies in healthy blood donors.
• To investigate the relationship between thyroid antibodies and thyroid function in asymptomatic individuals.

Main Methods:

• Screening of 1314 healthy blood donors for thyroglobulin antibody (TA) and thyroid microsomal antibody (MA).
• Comparison of thyroid function tests (T4, T3, free T4, TSH) between individuals with positive antibodies (AAT) and matched controls.

Main Results:

• Thyroid antibodies were detected in 2.6% of males and 6.2% of females.
• Incidence of antibodies increased with age in females, with a notable peak in those under 19.
• Individuals with AAT had significantly higher serum TSH levels compared to controls, while other thyroid hormones were similar.

Conclusions:

• Thyroid antibodies are prevalent in healthy blood donors, with higher rates in females.
• Asymptomatic autoimmune thyroiditis is characterized by elevated TSH, indicating early subclinical thyroid dysfunction.