Clinical Course and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Receptor Antibodies During Surgical Treatment of Graves' Disease

This study assessed the results of surgical treatment for Graves' disease in our hospital and examined the relationship between the values of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibodies and postoperative thyroid function. From 1983 to 1988, subtotal thyroidectomy was performed in 313 patients with Graves' disease. The follow-up rate was 89.1% (278 of 313 patients). Thirteen (4.2%) patients required methimazole postoperatively for hyperthyroidism and 23 (7.3%) patients required L-thyroxine postoperatively for hypothyroidism. The relationship between the postoperative thyroid function and TSH receptor antibodies was examined. The pre-operative thyrotropin binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) value had no relationship to postoperative thyroid function. Only in the patients who were hyperthyroid postoperatively did the TBII value remain elevated, but the value decreased gradually in patients who were not hyperthyroid postoperatively. In 43 of 94 patients whose pre-operative TBII values were high, the postoperative TBII value normalized. The higher the preoperative TBII value, the longer time was required for it to normalize postoperatively. The postoperative thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) values were higher in patients who remained hyperthyroid than in the patients who were not hyperthyroid. In the patients who remained hyperthyroid postoperatively, there was a significant correlation between the postoperative TBII value and the TSAB value. In the patients who were hypothyroid postoperatively, the TSBAb values were negative. In patients undergoing surgical treatment of Graves' disease, the postoperative TBII and TSAb values were related to postoperative hyperthyroidism. The TSBAb value had no relationship to postoperative hypothyroidism.