title: Changes in serum thyroid hormone autoantibody concentrations during pregnancy: a case report.
abstract: A 29-year-old female patient with Graves' disease who developed thyroid hormone autoantibodies (THAA) under treatment with methimazole is presented. THAA were identified as IgG-kappa. During a first pregnancy that ended by miscarriage in the 3rd month, the titer of anti-thyroxine autoantibodies decreased by about 30%. Relapse of Graves' disease occurred 2 months later and an increase in serum THAA concentration to the initial titer was observed. THAA titer remained unchanged during treatment with methimazole and afterwards during thyroxine supplementation for radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism. During a second pregnancy, a decrease in anti-thyroxine autoantibody titer reached 45% at the time of delivery and an increase by 20% was noted 5 months later. A similar decline in THAA concentration was shown during a third pregnancy. The changes in THAA concentrations observed during pregnancy suggest an immunological influence of pregnancy on the THAA production, as previously demonstrated in other autoimmune diseases, like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blockx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000097:blood; D008713:Methimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000276:immunology*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D008713:Methimazole; D013974:Thyroxine