Thyrotropin Receptor Antibody Blood Test

Thyrotropin-receptor antibody is an autoantibody to the thyroid cell receptor for thyroid-stimulating hormone. It can be demonstrated in 90% of patients with Graves' disease, and is the cause of the hyperthyroidism of that condition. The characterization of TRA resolved much confusion about long-acting thyroid stimulator (LATS) and LATS protector, which are both, in fact, thyroid-stimulating autoantibodies which simply behaved differently in animal test systems. These antibodies are present in 50% of euthyroid Graves' disease as well as hyperthyroid patients. They play a major role in the pathogenesis of Graves' disease. Detection of these antibodies is useful in prediction of neonatal hyperthyroidism and prediction of relapse of hyperthyroidism.