Immunological parameters in Graves' disease: are they useful for indication and monitoring of antithyroid drug treatment?
This paper reviews the available published data on studies of a correlation between the presence or intensity of measurable immunological abnormalities or markers in Graves' disease and the outcome after a course of antithyroid drug. The following parameters are discussed: circulating anti-thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies; antitubulin antibodies; human lymphocyte antigens, and repartition of T-lymphocyte subsets. At the present time no single parameter has any real practical value for individual patients either to indicate or monitor antithyroid drug therapy. The more useful information remains the anti-thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor level at the end of treatment which, if elevated, is predictive of relapse. Several areas of research, however, appear promising.
D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D018828:Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000276:immunology
D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018828:Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014404:Tubulin; D013972:Thyrotropin