Objective      To explore the changes and correlation of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）and anti-hyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) in patients with Graves’ disease before and after

131

I treatment

and investiga

te the roles of TNF-α and TRAb in the incidence of Graves’ disease.       Methods      Clinical data of 120 patients who diagnosed with Graves’ disease and treated with

131

I in our department from October 2009 to October 2011 were collected in this study. They were 22 males and 98 females

with an average age of 32±12. Sixty age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as control. Serum levels of FT

3

FT

4

TSH

TRAb and TNF-α in control group and treatment group before and in 3

6 and 18 months after treatment were measured by using electrochemical luminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and flow cytometry (FCM). The results were compared between the 2 groups.       Results      Serum levels of FT

3

FT

4

TRAb and TNF-α were significantly higher

while that of TSH was significantly lower in the treatment group before treatment than in the control (

P

0.05). In 3

6 and 18 months after treatment

the above mentioned indexes were obviously improved (

P

0.05). In 18 months after treatment

the levels of FT

3

(4.61±0.87 pmol/L)

FT

4

(15.71±5.22 pmol/L) and TSH (2.89±0.62 μIU/L) in treatment group were almost close to those of control (

P

0.05)

but those of TNF-α (2.42±1.22 pg/mL) and TRAb (18.27±1.53 IU/mL) were significantly higher than those of the control group (

P

0.05). The serum level of TNF-α was positively correlated with that of TRAb before and in 3

6 and 18 months after treatment (

P

0.05).       Conclusion      TNF-α and TRAb are highly expressed and positively correlated in the serum of the patients with Graves’ disease

and play important roles in the incidence and development of the disease.