Background: The aim of the study was to perform a functional and structural evaluation of the anterior visual pathway in patients with Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO) using electrophysiological tests and OCT, as well as to identify potential parameters that could be useful in detecting early optic nerve damage. Methods: 47 GO patients were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups, depending on their disease severity: Group 1 with mild GO, Group 2 with moderate-to-severe GO, and Group 3 with dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON). Pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP), flash visual evoked potential (fVEP), pattern electroretinogram (pERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings were compared between the groups. Results: In the DON Group (Group 3), N75, P100, and P2 latencies were significantly extended, whereas P100, P50, and N95 amplitudes were significantly reduced as compared to the non-DON group (Groups 1 and 2). Group 3 also had significantly thinner peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC). In Group 2, as compared to Group 1, P100 amplitudes were significantly reduced for all check sizes, while P100 latency was elongated for the check size of 0.9°. Group 2 also had a significantly thinner average GCC and GCC in the superior quadrant. Conclusions: Electrophysiological examinations may be of use in diagnosis of DON. OCT findings and electrophysiological responses vary in patients with different GO severity. Including regular electrophysiological evaluation and OCT in the examination of patients with GO could be of benefit. However, more research is needed to establish the true significance of pVEP, fVEP, pERG, and OCT in monitoring patients with GO.

Introduction: We studied the efficacy of immunosuppressive treatment of GO in a group of patients who had been treated with antithyroid drugs (the ATD group) and in another group that had undergone radioiodine therapy (the 131-I group). Material and methods: A total of 214 patients with exacerbation of GO were studied; the ATD group consisting of 168 patients, and the 131-I group consisting of 46 patients. All patients were treated with methylprednisolone IV pulses (total dose 8.0 g) followed by orbital irradiation (20 Gy in 10 fractions). CAS and IO indices, TSH, fT4, and TRAb levels were evaluated prior to, and 1, 6, and 12 months after treatment.

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Graves’ orbitopathy is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the inflammation of orbital tissues. The course of disease can be described in terms of its activity and severity. Aim: The aim of our study was to determine the factors affecting the activity and severity of Graves’ orbitopathy, as well as to identify the predictive factors of poor response to glucocorticoid treatment followed by orbital irradiation. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of 214 patients with Graves’ orbitopathy who were divided into two groups depending on the treatment they had previously obtained for their Graves’ disease. They received i.v. methylprednisolone pulses followed by orbital radiotherapy. They were examined and had their TSH, TRAb and FT4 levels evaluated prior to treatment and after 1, 6 and 12 months. Results: A pre-treatment TRAb concentration higher by one unit (U/L) implied a mean increase in the relative risk of active orbitopathy by 4.7% (p = 0.0362). A TRAb concentration higher by one U/L 1 month after treatment implied a mean increase in the relative risk of moderate-to-severe and severe GO by 8.7% (p = 0.0167) 6 months after treatment. As regards poor response to treatment, patients with moderate-to-severe and severe Graves’ orbitopathy on admission carried a higher risk of being non-responders. Each point scored on the NOSPECS scale prior to treatment increased the relative risk of the patient being a non-responder by 30%. Conclusions: Patients with higher TRAb levels have a higher risk of active Graves’ orbitopathy and moderate-to-severe and severe Graves’ orbitopathy. Monitoring TRAb serum concentration in those patients is of great importance. Patients with more severe Graves’ orbitopathy carry a higher risk of being poor responders to immunosuppressive treatment. Therefore, careful monitoring of patients with Graves’ orbitopathy and their early referral to specialized centers is essential.