Elevated Graves’ Disease-Specific Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulin and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor Antibody in a Patient With Subacute Thyroiditis

Subacute thyroiditis can be rarely associated with autoimmune thyroid disorders. It includes Graves' disease which is characterized by the presence of a highly specific antibody known as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody (TRAb). There are three types of TRAb: TSH receptor stimulating antibody (TSAb) which stimulates the TSH receptor causing Graves' disease, TSH receptor blocking antibody (TBAb) which blocks the TSH receptor causing hypothyroidism, and a neutralizing antibody which does not alter the thyroid function. There are two assays used to check the TRAb: the thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) assay and the TSH receptor-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) assay out of which the TSI assay measures the stimulating antibody which is specific for graves' disease. Although autoimmune thyroid disorders can rarely occur following subacute thyroiditis, their clinical presentation is usually compatible with the type of antibody detected in the patient’s serum. We present a unique case of a 44-year-old patient who presented with subacute thyroiditis followed by the development of persistent hypothyroidism even in the presence of elevated Graves' disease-specific TSI and TRAb.