Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is essential for the differentiation and maturation of lymphocytes, while lymphocytes infiltration in thyroid tissue is a vital pathological feature of Graves' disease (GD). The aim of the present study was to compare the concentration of ADA between healthy controls (HC) and patients with GD, and evaluate the association between ADA and GD. METHODS: A total of 112 GD patients and 77 matched HC were enrolled in this study. Each participant was examined for thyroid hormones and autoantibodies, ADA concentration, and thyroid ultrasonography. RESULTS: Serum ADA levels in GD patients were significantly higher than that in HC subgroup (P < 0.001). In GD patients, serum ADA levels were positively associated with serum-free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) levels, and total thyroid gland volume (thyroid VolT) and negatively associated with serum thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSH) levels (all P < 0.05). There were no similar correlations in the HC subgroup. Multiple linear regression analysis suggested that serum TSH, FT3, and ADA levels played an important role in serum TRAb levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that serum ADA levels were closely associated with GD.