Avaliação da correlação de anticorpos antitireoideanos com a evolução da doença de graves

Abstract

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder and the leading cause of hyperthyroidism in adults, relevant for its prevalence, clinical impact, and management complexity. Objective: To evaluate the correlation between antithyroid antibodies (TRAb, TPOAb, and TgAb) and the clinical evolution of Graves’ disease, including clinical manifestations, therapeu tic decisions, and functional outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort observational study analyzing 45 medical records of patients with confirmed Graves’ disease treated between 2008 and 2023 in Teresina, Brazil. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and therapeutic data were assessed. Statistical tests such as Spearman correlation, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis were applied, with a significance level of p<0.05, to evaluate associations between antibody levels and clinical outcomes. Results: Elevated TRAb levels were significantly associated with the presence of exophthalmos at baseline and with a higher likelihood of indication for radioiodine therapy. Anti-TPO was correlated with higher methimazole doses, while anti-Tg showed initial association with beta-blocker use. None of the antibodies showed consistent correlation with final thyroid functional outcomes. Conclusion: TRAb proved to be a clinically and therapeutically relevant immunological marker. Although TPOAb and TgAb showed limited associations, novel findings suggest potential prognostic value in specific contexts, supporting the need for further prospective studies with larger samples.