Clinical Information

Moderately increased levels of thyroperoxidase antibodies may be found in patients with a non-thyroid autoimmune disease such as pernicious anemia, type I diabetes, or other disorders that activate the immune system. Performance of this assay has not been established with neonatal specimens. For assays employing antibodies, the possibility exists for interference by human anti-animal antibodies (i.e., heterophile antibodies) in the patient sample. Patients who have been regularly exposed to animals or have received immunotherapy or diagnostic procedures utilizing immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin fragments may produce antibodies, (e.g., HAMA), that interfere with immunoassays. This may falsely elevate or falsely decrease the results.