The thyroid gland produces hormones that ensure the mental and physical development of a person, the growth of the body, and regulates the rate of metabolic processes in the body. In the body, several hormones are synthesized, which have a common name - thyroid. Thyroid dysfunction triggers serious complications in the body. For the timely detection of pathology, an analysis is carried out that determines whether antibodies to TPO are exceeded or normal in women and men in the body.
What does the term “anti-TPO antibody” mean?
TPO is an enzyme synthesized by the thyroid gland, called thyroperoxidase or microsomal peroxidase. TPO is involved in the formation of thyroid hormones and is an important antigen in the body. In pathologies of the immune and endocrine systems, the content of thyroperoxidase is a diagnostic factor. So, when researching, they most often use the concept of “the norm of antibodies to TPO in women in men” and conduct a medical test to detect the disease.
Antibodies to TPO are protein complexes (immunoglobulins) that are synthesized in the human body when the immune system is malfunctioning. As a result, they begin to perceive the thyroid peroxidase enzyme as a foreign body. When antibodies act on the enzyme, its activity decreases sharply, therefore, the formation of thyroid hormones in which it participates ceases. As a result, the more TPO is destroyed, the less thyroid hormones are formed. The growth of antibodies to TPO leads to gland dysfunction. Therefore, patients with hypofunction are prescribed a blood test to determine if the norm of antibodies to TPO is exceeded. In women and children, increased values are more often observed, although in men the indicator can also be higher than natural.
The norm of antibodies to TPO
The natural indicator of antibodies to thyroperoxidase has the same value in all studied groups. Thus, when analyzing antibodies to TPO, the norm in women and men of different ages is 35 IU / ml. In the case when the indicator is above 35 units, it can be argued that immunoglobulins have a negative effect on the thyroid gland. It must be said that 10% of the examined women have an upper threshold or a slight excess of antibodies, while thyroid disease is not observed. Therefore, to evaluate this symptom must be in conjunction with additional tests and studies of the body.
Background and consequences of increasing antibodies to TPO
The intensive development of antibodies to thyroperoxidase occurs when the immune system begins to destroy its own components of the thyroid gland. In this case, various pathologies develop:
- inflammation of the gland - subacute and chronic (hidden) thyroiditis;
- hypothyroidism is a pathological process that develops with a lack of thyroid hormones, leading to diseases of other endocrine organs. In women, it often leads to genital dysfunction and obesity;
- organ proliferation - diffuse goiter. It is a consequence of a lack of thyroid hormones and iodine deficiency.
There are cases when the norm of antibodies to TPO is exceeded in women after childbirth. Violations are caused by rearrangements of the immune system and the endocrine gland during pregnancy. This phenomenon can independently disappear after several months, but often the endocrinologist needs to prescribe serious treatment so that the dysfunction does not become permanent.
The indicator of immunoglobulins to TPO can exceed the norm for other autoimmune disorders that are not related to the activity of the thyroid gland, for example, with lupus erythematosus, scleroderma.
Subacute and latent thyroiditis
The causative agent of subacute thyroiditis is a virus. After the infection of the upper respiratory tract, a person continues to have weakness, malaise, and moderate pains appear in the neck, extending to the back of the head and jaw, and intensifying when the head is turned. In general, the picture is not very pronounced, so it may take weeks before the true cause of the patient's well-being is suspected and identified.
In mild cases, the symptoms of the disease are eliminated while taking aspirin. In more severe, glucocorticoids are required. The inflammatory process with subacute thyroiditis can last several months, but in general it proceeds benignly, and after its completion the gland functions are completely restored.
With latent thyroiditis, an increased norm of antibodies to TPO is more common in women. The causes of the disease have not yet been identified. Symptoms are mild: a slight manifestation of thyrotoxicosis and a slight enlargement of the gland. Against the background of the treatment of thyrotoxicosis, these symptoms disappear within 2-5 months. However, many patients have frequent relapses of the disease, and mild and completely treatable hypothyroidism may begin.
Autoimmune chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis)
In most cases, the cause of thyroid dysfunction is associated with a disease such as autoimmune thyroiditis. With this disease, an excess norm of antibodies to TPO in women after 50 years is more often noted. The most striking manifestation of the disease is goiter. Moreover, the general contours of the gland are preserved, but in some cases some asymmetry may be observed. Gradually, with the development of pathological changes in the gland tissue, the phenomena of hypothyroidism develop. Sometimes, along with signs of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, there is a symptomatology of a base disease. This is the most complex case of thyroiditis.
The disease can be treated if an increased norm of antibodies to TPO in women is detected at an early stage. Treatment of pathology is carried out using surgical methods, hormone replacement therapy, and anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed.
A type of hypothyroidism - myxedema
Thyroid insufficiency, in which there is a delay in metabolic processes in the body, is called myxedema. More often this disease affects women. Pathology is characterized by a lowered body temperature, a delayed reaction to external stimuli, slow speech, constant lethargy, and pallor of the skin. Nails and skin become thickened. There is an active loss of hair and eyelashes. In women, myxedema is observed in conjunction with ovarian hypofunction, diabetes mellitus and obesity.
Can accompany hypothyroidism and disorders in the circulatory system: shortness of breath, decreased heart rate, lowering blood pressure, the rapid development of atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels, including blood vessels of the heart and brain. With such symptoms, if proper treatment is not done in a timely manner, the likelihood of developing heart failure is high.
Diagnosis and treatment of myxedema
Myxedema does not have vivid symptoms and occurs in a latent form, so it is difficult to diagnose. If you suspect a disease, you should contact a competent specialist endocrinologist.
The next step will be a quantitative study of the level of hormone secretion. In addition, additional diagnostic measures may be prescribed: a study of the size and structure of the thyroid gland; the study of its functional ability, while radioactive (labeled) iodine is introduced into the body and it is observed with what intensity different parts of the gland absorb it. In some cases, a biopsy is also carried out - taking a micro piece of gland tissue for laboratory research.
After a diagnosis is made, hormone therapy is performed. Often, the symptoms of the disease are completely relieved when taking thyroid hormones in the form of tablets.
High anti-TPO antibodies in pregnant women
During pregnancy, an excess rate of antibodies to TPO in women may be observed. Description of the indicator is necessary if thyroid gland growth is noted and, as a result, the level of the pituitary hormone - TSH, which controls the synthesis of thyroid hormones , can increase . At the same time, the content of the latter remains normal.
The antibody test helps to detect latent hypothyroidism in a woman, which can occur during pregnancy, since at this time the thyroid gland is experiencing serious stress. An increased rate of immunoglobulins, together with an increase in TSH, indicate the development of a woman's gland dysfunction and the existing risk for the child, since a lack of hormones affects its development. In this situation, to prevent the death of the fetus, the birth of a baby with pathologies of a pregnant woman, hormonal treatment is prescribed.