Prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies in patients with primary thyroid disorders.

OBJECTIVE To determine prevalence of thyroid antimicrosomal and antithyroglobulin antibodies among patients with primary thyroid disorders. DESIGN Descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING Kenyatta National Hospital, July 2003 to August 2004. RESULTS Antimicrosomal antibodies (anti-TPOAbs) were detected in 51.4% of all the patients while 36.1% tested positive for the antithyroglobulin antibodies (anti- TgAbs). Among the hyperthyroid patients, anti-TPOAbs and anti-TgAbs were in 50.8% and 33% respectively while 53.3% and 46.7% of the hypothyroid patients tested positive for anti-TPOAbs and anti-TgAbs respectively. Most of the patients who showed positivity for anti-TgAbs (88.5%) also tested positive for anti-TPOAbs. CONCLUSION More than half of the patients with primary thyroid disorders show presence of autoimmune thyroid markers, with anti TPO antibodies being more prevalent.