Positive anti-TPO titres are not unusual in the ‘normal' population. Their presence in the context of thyroid disease only assists in indicating that the pathogenesis is probably autoimmune. As thyroid autoimmunity is a chronic condition, once diagnosed there is rarely a need to re-measure anti-TPO titres. In euthyroid pregnant patients deemed at high risk of developing thyroid disease, anti-TPO antibodies may influence the frequency of surveillance for hypothyroidism during the pregnancy. It is uncommon that measurement of anti-TPO antibodies influences patient management.
Conditions: Autoimmune Thyroid Disease, Hypothyroidism
Diagnostic Tests: Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (anti TPO)
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Sources
- De Groot L, Abalovich M, Alexander EK, Amino N, Barbour L, Cobin RH, et al. Management of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy and postpartum: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2012;97(8):2543-65. (PubMed)
- Garber JR, Cobin RH, Gharib H, Hennessey JV, Klein I, Mechanick JI, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for hypothyroidism in adults: cosponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association. Thyroid. 2012;22(12):1200-35. (PubMed)
- Surks MI, Hollowell JG. Age-specific distribution of serum thyrotropin and antithyroid antibodies in the US population: implications for the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2007;92(12):4575-82. (PubMed)