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Antithyroid drug therapy may be associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease
The background of the study. Some
patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease have
serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) at diagnosis,
but the antibodies are found more often during therapy with antithyroid
drugs, particularly propylthiouracil. In this study serum ANCAs
were measured in patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism before
and during antithyroid drug therapy. (These antibodies are prominent
in patients with some inflammatory disorders of blood vessels.)
How the study was done. Serum samples were obtained from 407 patients with Graves’ disease and 649 normal subjects for measurement of ANCAs. Among the former, 252 were being treated with carbimazole, 42 with propylthiouracil, 26 had not received either drug, and 87 had been treated with one of the drugs in the past.
The results of the study. ANCAs were detected in the serum of 20 percent of the 407 patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism and 5 percent of the 649 normal subjects. Among the patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism, serum ANCAs were present in 33 percent of the hyperthyroid patients being treated with propylthiouracil, 16 percent of those treated with carbimazole, and 30 percent of those treated in the past, but only 4 percent of those who had not received either drug. No patient had evidence of the blood vessel inflammation linked with ANCAs.
The conclusions of the study. ANCAs are present in patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism who were being treated with an antithyroid drug, especially in patients treated with propylthiouracil, but the importance of the antibodies is uncertain.
The original article. Harper L, Chin L, Daykin J, Allahabadia A, Heward J, Gough SC, Savage CO, Franklyn JA. Propylthiouracil and carbimazole associated-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in patients with Graves’ disease. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2004;60:671-5.
Next Article: Proliferation of fatty tissue behind the eyes
is increased in patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy
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| Thyroid Digest Index | | | July 2004 Thyroid Digest |
