The Role of Maternal Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor Blocking Antibodies in the Etiology of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Isfahan, Iran

Background: considering the role of maternal thyroid stimulatinghormone (tsh) receptor blocking antibody (trab) in the etiology ofcongenital hypothyroidism (ch), this study aimed to determine trabamong patients with ch in isfahan, iran.methods: in this case–control study, patients with ch and their motherswere compared with a group of healthy neonates and their mothers.venous blood samples were obtained for measurement of trab usingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) method among mothersand their neonates. tsh of mothers was also determined.results: the case group consisted of 65 patients with ch and theirmothers; controls were 148 healthy neonates and their mothers. theprevalence of positive trab in patients with ch and their motherswas higher than in the control group (81.5% vs. 1.3% in mothers and80% vs. 0% in neonates, respectively, p < 0.05). the relationship betweenthe trab and occurrence of ch was significant (p < 0.05), whereas thecorresponding figure was not significant for trab and the level ofmaternal and neonatal tsh in case and control groups (p > 0.05).conclusion: it seems that autoimmunity has an important role inthe etiology of ch. further studies are necessary to determine otherautoantibodies in ch patients.