Clincal Value of Serum TRAb in Graves' Disease Before and After ~(131)I Therapy

Objective: To investigate the clincal value of serum TRAb in Graves' disease before and after 131I therapy. Methods: A total of 186 patients of Graves' disease and 70 normal controls were included in the study. Serum concentration of TRAb were measured by ECLA before and at 3,6,12 and 18 months after131I radiotherapy. Results: The TRAb level of 70 normal controls was(1.09±0.45) IU/L. Abnormally higher TRAb level(9.95±7.18 IU/L) was noted in patients before131I treatment(t=-10.31,P0.001). The TRAb level increased to(14.81±10.37 IU/L) at 3 months after 131I therapy(t=-5.26, P0.001),before it dropped to(12.33±8.73 IU/L) and(3.14±0.87 IU/L) at 6 and 12 months respectively(t=-2.89 and t=12.85, P0.05).At 18 months after 131I radiotherapy,the level of TRAb(1.19±0.45 IU/L) was back to normal with no difference to that of nomal controls(t=-1.59, P0.05). Before131I treatment of Graves' disease TRAb positive rate was 93.5% and at 3,6, 12,18 months after treatment TRAb positive rates were 93.5%, 79.6%, 27.4% and 8.6%. Conclusion: It is of great significance to measure serum concentrations of TRAb after131I radiotherapy for Graves' disease, which is of important clinical value for therapy guidance, efficacy assessment and recurrence prediction.