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Thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood

Alexey Portnov, medical expert
Last reviewed: 29.07.2022

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Reference values (norm) of serum TSH concentration: newborns - 1-39 mIU / l, adults - 0.4-4.2 mIU / l.

A thyroid-stimulating hormone is a glycoprotein secreted by the adenohypophysis. Acts mainly on the thyroid gland, stimulating the synthesis of T ₄ and T ₃ and their release into the blood.

The causes of increase and decrease in thyroid-stimulating hormone

To determine the content of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum, use RIA, ELISA and immunofemiluminescent analysis. The latter method is based on the use of monoclonal antibodies to the thyroid-stimulating hormone and the enhancement of chemiluminescence, its sensitivity is two orders of magnitude greater than the sensitivity of RIA and one order of magnitude - ELISA. Modern diagnostic sets of the third generation allow us to detect thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations of less than 0.01 mIU / L, so they can clearly distinguish between hyperthyroidism (the thyroid-stimulating hormone content is reduced) and euthyroidism (the thyroid-stimulating hormone content is normal). It is with the definition of the thyroid-stimulating hormone level that diagnostics should be started if suspicion of abnormalities in thyroid hormone activity is suspected.

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