DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i06.036

Pages: 2498-2501

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease of the retroocular tissues occurring in patients with Graves' disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of TAO among Indian patients with thyroid dysfunction and the risk factors associated with TAO. This was a retrospective, hospital based and non-interventional study conducted at Department of Ophthalmology and General Medicine of two tertiary care centres. The duration of study was 6 months; January-2018 to June-2018. 50 adult patients (age >18 years) of thyroid disorder with orbitopathy were evaluated for possible inclusion in this study. An ophthalmologist interviewed the patients and noted the presence of symptoms and signs relevant to thyroid eye disease. Total 50 patients were eligible for study. Out of a total of 50 patients who were eligible for analysis, 38 were diagnosed with mild to moderate TAO and 12 were diagnosed with severe TAO. There were older patients among those with severe courses than in the group with mild to moderate courses (t-test, p = 0.007). There were more male patients in patients with a severe course (83.33%) compared to those with a mild to moderate course (63.15%), this difference was statistically significant. More patients with a severe course were smokers compared to those with a mild to moderate course. More patients with a severe course had a higher clinical activity score ( p = 0.006). Our study confirmed that smoking is the strongest risk factor for development of a severe course of TAO in Indian patients. Thus, it is important for patients with Graves' disease to refrain from smoking.