Changes in thyroid-stimulating antibody activity in Graves' disease treated with antithyroid drug and its relationship to relapse: a prospective study.
Thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb) were found in 51 patients (83.6%) with untreated Graves' disease. The mean TSAb index reached the normal level after 6 months of antithyroid drug therapy. In 9 patients (14.8%), TSAb remained persistently positive during and after antithyroid drug therapy, and relapse occurred in all. In 42 patients (68.8%), TSAb indices gradually returned to the normal range after drug treatment was started; in 38% of these, remission was maintained after treatment was stopped, in another 40.5%, relapse occurred when they were TSAb-positive, and the remaining 21.5% relapsed despite return of TSAb indices to the normal range. A positive TSAb index at the end of drug treatment was a useful indicator in predicting subsequent relapse because, with 1 exception, all patients who were still TSAb positive at drug withdrawal relapsed subsequently.
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002231:Carbimazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000276:immunology*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D000906:Antibodies; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D002231:Carbimazole; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine