The norm of antibodies to TPO in women: the causes and treatment

The thyroid gland produces hormones that ensure the mental and physical development of a person, the growth of the body, 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 timely detection of pathology, an analysis is performed that determines whether the antibodies to TPO are exceeded or normal in women and men in the body.

What does the term "antibodies to TPO" mean?

TPO is an enzyme synthesized by the thyroid gland, called thyreperoxidase or microsomal peroxidase. TPO is involved in the reactions of the formation of thyroid hormones and is an important antigen in the body. With pathologies of the immune and endocrine systems, the content of thyroid peroxidase is a diagnostic factor. Thus, in the study, the term "a norm of antibodies to TPO in women in men" is most often used, and a medical test is performed to identify the disease.

Antibodies to TPO are protein complexes (immunoglobulins) synthesized in the human body in the case of disturbances in the functioning of the immune system. As a result, they begin to perceive the enzyme thyreperoxidase as a foreign body. Under the action of antibodies on the enzyme, its activity is sharply reduced, hence 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 dysfunction of the gland. Therefore, patients with hypofunction are assigned a blood test to determine if the antibodies to TPO are exceeded. Women and children are more likely to have elevated values, although in men the indicator may also be higher than the natural value.

The rate of antibodies to TPO

The natural index of antibodies to thyreperoxidase has the same value in all studied groups. Thus, in the analysis for 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 the thyroid gland immunoglobulins have a negative effect. It is necessary to say that 10% of the women surveyed have an upper threshold of the norm or a slight excess of antibodies, with no thyroid gland diseases noted. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate this feature together with additional tests and studies of the body.

Preconditions and consequences of increasing antibodies to TPO

The intensive development of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase occurs when the immune system begins to destroy its own components of the thyroid gland. At the same time, various pathologies develop:

• Inflammation of the gland - subacute and chronic (latent) thyroiditis;
• Gipoterioz - a pathological process that develops with a deficiency of thyroid hormones, leading to diseases of other endocrine organs. In women, it often leads to dysfunction of the sex glands and obesity;
• Proliferation of the organ - 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 in women after childbirth is exceeded. The disorders are caused by the restructuring of the immune system and the work of the endocrine gland during pregnancy. This phenomenon can go on independently after a few months, but often the endocrinologist needs to be given serious treatment so that the dysfunction does not go into permanent form.

The immunoglobulin count to TPO may exceed the norm and with other autoimmune disorders not associated with thyroid activity, for example, in case of lupus erythematosus, scleroderma.

Subacute and latent thyroiditis

The causative agent of subacute thyroiditis is the virus. After the infection of the upper respiratory tract, the person retains weakness, malaise, there are moderate pain in the neck, giving back to the neck and jaw and intensifying when turning the head. In general, the picture is not very pronounced, so it may take weeks before the true cause of the patient's poor state of health is suspected and revealed.

In mild cases, the symptoms of the disease are eliminated against the background of taking aspirin. In more severe cases, the use of glucocorticoids is required. The inflammatory process with subacute thyroiditis can last several months, but in general it is benign, and after its completion, the gland functions are completely restored.

With hidden thyroiditis, an increased rate of antibodies to TPO in women is more common. The causes of the disease have not yet been identified. The symptomatology is not pronounced: a slight manifestation of thyrotoxicosis and a slight enlargement of the gland. Against the background of ongoing treatment of thyrotoxicosis, these symptoms disappear within 2-5 months. However, in many patients frequent recurrences of the disease are noted, and mild to severe and completely curable hypothyroidism may begin.

Autoimmune chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis)

In most cases, the cause of impaired thyroid activity is associated with a disease such as autoimmune thyroiditis. With this disease, there is a higher incidence of antibodies to TPO in women after 50 years of age. The most striking manifestation of the disease is goitre. Moreover, the general contours of the gland persist, but in some cases there may be some asymmetry. Gradually, as the development of pathological changes in the gland tissue develops the phenomenon of hypothyroidism. Sometimes, along with signs of thyroiditis, Hashimoto is symptomatic of Graves' disease. This is the most complex case of thyroiditis.

The disease is amenable to therapy if an increased rate 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 also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs.

A variety of hypothyroidism - myxedema

Insufficiency of the thyroid gland, in which there is a delay in metabolic processes in the body, is called myxedema. Women often suffer from this disease. Pathology is characterized by a low body temperature, a slow response to external stimuli, slow speech, constant lethargy, pallor of the skin. Nails and skin become thickened. There is an active loss of hair and eyelashes. In women, myxedema is observed together with ovarian hypofunction, diabetes and obesity.

They can accompany hypoteriosis and disturbances in the circulatory system: dyspnea, a decrease in the rhythm of the heart, a decrease in blood pressure, a rapid development of atherosclerotic changes in the blood vessels, including the vessels of the heart and brain. With such symptoms, if timely not to conduct competent treatment, the likelihood of developing heart failure is high.

Diagnosis and treatment of myxedema

Myxedema does not have a vivid symptomatology and proceeds in a latent form, so it is difficult to diagnose. If you suspect a disease, you need to contact a competent endocrinologist.

The next stage will be a quantitative study of the level of hormone secretion. In addition, additional diagnostic measures can be prescribed: the study of the size and structure of the thyroid gland; The study of its functional ability, with the introduction of radioactive (labeled) iodine in the body and observe the intensity with which it is absorbed by different sections of the gland. In some cases, a biopsy is also carried out-taking a microfragment of the gland tissue for laboratory studies.

After the diagnosis is made hormone therapy. Often the symptoms of the disease completely removed when taking thyroid hormones in the form of tablets.

High level of antibodies to TPO in pregnant women

During pregnancy, an excess of antibodies to TPO in women may be observed. The description of the indicator is necessary if the growth of the thyroid gland is noted and, as a consequence, the level of the pituitary hormone - TSH, which controls the synthesis of thyroid hormones - can increase. The content of the latter remains normal.

The antibody test helps to identify a latent hypothyroidism in a woman, which can manifest itself during pregnancy, since at that time the thyroid gland is under severe stress. The increased immunoglobulin count, together with the increase in TSH, indicates the development of dysfunction of the gland in a woman and the existing risk for the child, as the lack of hormones affects its development. In this situation, to prevent fetal death, the birth of a baby with pathologies of a pregnant woman is prescribed hormonal treatment.