Endocrine Abstracts

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is a relatively rare condition, but can cause significant morbidity, poor quality of life, socioeconomic cost and occasionally impaired vision. Some studies indicate that nearly all patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism, even those without overt GO, have subclinical eye disease. It is becoming increasingly evident that early recognition of GO and early interventions can affect the long-term outcome favourably. Predicting which patients will develop clinical manifestations of GO is therefore important. Clinical tools for early recognition of GO in a population of patients with Graves’ hyperthyroidism attending endocrine clinics have been developed and are being further validated. A number of clinical and biochemical parameters have been shown to be associated with progression of GO and can be used clinically to identify such cases. They include age, gender smoking status, severity of thyrotoxicosis, dysthyroid status, use of radioiodine and the level of TSH receptor antibodies.