Antibodies to tereoperoxidase affect the state of the human hormonal system and affect his well-being and normal performance. A standard set of blood tests for hormones when checking the thyroid gland includes determining the level of TSH, T3, T4, CT3, CT4 and AT to TPO. Antibodies to TPO used to be called anti-microsomal bodies in the medical literature.
During normal thyroid function, antibodies to TPO are absent in the blood or are available in very small doses. Their number rises sharply with autoimmune diseases. The highest rates are recorded with thyroiditis Hashimoto. This disease is commonly found in older women. There is a high probability that Hashimoto's thyroiditis will affect members of the same family, since although the disease itself is not inherited, the predisposition to it is transmitted at the genetic level. People with chromosomal mutations have a higher risk of acquiring the disease.
Antibodies to TPO are also found in individuals suffering from Graves' disease. With diffuse hyperfunctioning goiter, the thyroid gland enlarges, the patient complains of tachycardia, arrhythmia, tremor of the extremities, problems with the eyelids and eyes. A slight excess of the permissible levels of antibodies to TPO in the blood may indicate hypothyroidism. With hypothyroidism, metabolism slows down, the risk of developing obesity increases, and working capacity decreases, a person constantly feels fatigue, lethargy, problems arise with remembering and concentration. If antibodies to TPO are found in the body of a pregnant woman, then she is highly likely to develop thyrotoxicosis after the birth of a child. A baby developing in the womb is likely to pass on a predisposition to hormonal disorders.
To check the functioning of the thyroid gland, it is enough to pass an analysis. Antibodies to TPO are tested in blood serum , blood from a vein should be given in the morning on an empty stomach. Before taking biomaterial for study, it is advisable to be at rest; An excited state can affect hormone secretion. One day before the test, heavy physical activity, alcohol and cigarettes must be excluded.
What are the acceptable values that an anti-TPO antibody test can show? The norm of antibody content ranges from 0 to 30 international units per milliliter. But if, according to the results of research, the result is recorded just above the norm, do not panic. With increased secretion of triiodothyronine and thyroxine, antibodies to TPO protect against the development of hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis. However, the lower this indicator, the less likely it is to get an autoimmune disease in old age. After 30 years, the amount of antibodies to thyroperoxidase in blood serum becomes slightly higher.
Antibodies to TPO begin to be produced when the level of thyroid stimulating hormone in the blood becomes higher. The more antibodies are contained in the body, the more difficult the secretion of T3 and T4, the slower the metabolism. Also, the cause of the appearance of antibodies may be an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine. In this case, an increase in the concentration of antibodies to thyroglobulin is observed .
The results of an analysis for thyroid hormones are prepared from one to three days. The cost of analysis varies from 100 to 400 rubles, depending on the region. Indicators of antibodies to TPO cannot be evaluated without data on the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone, the level of triiodothyronine and thyroxine, and what is the concentration of thyroid hormones in the blood in a free, non-protein-bound form. Only a comprehensive analysis of the results of hormonal studies will help the endocrinologist to choose the right treatment in each case.