Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the PLAB Test with interactive quizzes and comprehensive study materials. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and detailed explanations. Start studying today!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


Anti-TPO antibodies are indicative of which autoimmune condition?

  1. Graves' disease

  2. Hashimoto's thyroiditis

  3. Celiac disease

  4. Type 1 diabetes

The correct answer is: Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Anti-TPO antibodies, or anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, are primarily associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the body's immune system attacks the thyroid, leading to inflammation and often resulting in hypothyroidism. The presence of these antibodies indicates that the immune system is producing an abnormal response against the enzyme thyroid peroxidase, which is crucial for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In the context of other autoimmune conditions mentioned, while Graves' disease also involves thyroid antibodies, it is more specifically associated with antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland (such as TSH receptor antibodies) rather than anti-TPO antibodies. Celiac disease primarily involves antibodies against tissue transglutaminase or gliadin, and Type 1 diabetes is marked by antibodies against insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Therefore, when evaluating conditions related to thyroid function and autoimmune responses, the presence of anti-TPO antibodies clearly points to Hashimoto's thyroiditis.