OBJECTIVETo examine serum levels of sICAM-1 from normal controls and patients with thyroid diseases (simple goitre, Graves' disease or Hashimoto's thyroiditis) with (125)I-sICAM-1 RIA established in our lab.

METHODSUsing (125)I-sICAM-1 RIA, serum sICAM-1 levels of 400 healthy individuals as the normal group and 1020 patients with simple goitre (SG), Graves' disease (GD) or Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) were examined for a comporative chinical study.

RESULTSThe serum level of sICAM-1 (x +/- s) in the normal group was 168.43 +/- 36.23 micro g/L. There was no significant difference between the normal and SG groups (P > 0.05), whereas the serum levels of sICAM-1 in autoimmune thyroid diseases (GD or HT) were higher than those in the normal or SG groups (P < 0.05, respectively). After GD patients received one of three medical treatments, their serum sICAM-1 levels decreased (P < 0.05). After GD patients were treated and their thyroid function decreased to normal, their serum sICAM-1 levels were lower than those in relapsed GD patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSsICAM-1 RIA can be used to examine autoimmune thyroid diseases. Serum levels of sICAM-1 can be used as a parameter in diagnosing autoimmune thyroid disease and in evaluating the effects of therapy, drug administration or relapse in GD.