title: Clinical inquiries: How useful are autoantibodies in diagnosing thyroid disorders?
abstract: They're useful in diagnosing Graves' disease and, to a lesser extent, autoimmune thyroid disease; they can also help predict hypothyroidism. Thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAb) may be mildly elevated in a variety of thyroid disorders, but a TRAb level >10 U/L increases the probability of Graves' disease by a moderate to large degree (strength of recommendation [SOR]: cross-sectional study). A positive or negative thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) test increases or decreases the probability of autoimmune thyroid disease by only a small to moderate degree (SOR: 3 cross-sectional studies). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels >2 mU/L, although still in the normal range, can be followed up with TPOAb testing to determine whether the patient has an increased probability of developing hypothyroidism (SOR: cohort study with a vague hypothyroidism reference standard).
authors.affiliation: New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.forename: Albert A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flake
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solbrig
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase