Antiperoxidasa thyroid (anti-TPO) is an antibody produced by the immune system that attacks the thyroid gland, causing changes in levels of hormones produced by the thyroid.Anti-TPO values vary from lab to laboratory, with generally high values generally indicative of autoimmunity.Diseases.
However, the amount of this thyroid autoantibodies can increase in several situations, so it is important that the diagnosis is made taking into account the results of other thyroid-related tests, such as other thyroid autoantibodies and TSH, T3 and T4 levels.tests indicated to evaluate the thyroid.
- Elevated levels of antiperoxidasa thyroid (anti-TPO) are often a sign of autoimmune thyroid diseases.
- Such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease.
- For example.
- But may increase in other situations.
- Such as pregnancy and hypothyroidism.
- Antiperoxidized thyroid are:.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, dysregulating thyroid hormone production and causing symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as excessive fatigue, weight gain, muscle pain, and thinning of the hair and nails.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the main causes of an increase in thyroid antiperoxidasis, but additional testing is needed to complete the diagnosis.Understand what Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is, his symptoms, and how to treat it.
Graves’ disease is one of the main situations in which antiperoxidasa thyroid is high and occurs because this autoantibody acts directly on the thyroid and stimulates the production of hormones, resulting in characteristic symptoms of the disease, such as headaches, bulging eyes, weight loss, sweating, muscle weakness and swelling of the throat, for example.
It is important that Graves’ disease is properly identified and treated to relieve symptoms; your doctor will indicate treatment based on the severity of the disease, and medication, iodine or thyroid surgery may be recommended.Learn more about Graves’ disease and how it’s treated.
Because of common hormonal changes during pregnancy, there may also be changes related to the thyroid gland, which can be identified, including an increase in levels of antiperoxidasa thyroid in the blood.
Despite this, the pregnant woman does not necessarily have changes in the thyroid, so it is important to measure the anti-TPO at the beginning of pregnancy so that the doctor can monitor the rates during pregnancy and check the risk of developing thyroiditis after delivery, for example.
Subclinical hypothyroidism is characterized by a decrease in thyroid gland activity, which does not generate symptoms and is detected only by blood tests, in which normal levels of high T4 and TSH are monitored.
Although the dose of anti-TPO is normally not indicated for the diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism, your doctor may order this test to evaluate the progression of hypothyroidism and verify that the person is responding well to treatment; this is possible because this antibody acts directly on the enzyme that regulates the production of thyroid hormones.Thus, by measuring antiperoxidasa thyroid in subclinical hypothyroidism, it is possible to check whether the decrease in the amount of anti-TPO accompanies the regularization of blood TSH levels.
Learn to recognize and treat hypothyroidism
People with parents with autoimmune thyroid disease may have modified thyroid anti-piperxidade antibodies, which does not mean they also have a disease, so it is important that the value of anti-TPO be evaluated with the other tests requested by the doctor..