As there are no previous studies on the interleukin-22 (IL-22) variants in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), the present study aimed to explore the association between polymorphisms of IL-22 and the predisposition to AITD. The study had 975 AITD patients, including 639 Graves' disease (GD) and 336 Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) individuals and 851 healthy cohorts. Ligase detection reaction (LDR)...

BACKGROUND Our studies over recent years have focused on some new ideas concerning the pathogenesis for the orbital reaction that characterizes Graves' ophthalmopathy namely, that there are antigens expressed by thyroid tissue and orbital tissue where they are targeted by autoantibodies and/or sensitized T cells, leading to orbital inflammation. While this has been well studied for the thyroid ...

In patients with thyroid disease, ocular involvement or thyroid ophthalmopathy is common, irrespective of their thyroid status. A common feature of thyroid eye disease is eyelid retraction, which leads to a classical starry gaze (Kocher sign). Treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI) is a known therapy for hyperthyroidism. However, this treatment may lead to or worsen thyroid ophthalmopathy. We ...

BACKGROUND Graves' disease is a common autoimmune inflammatory condition of the thyroid. About one in four of affected patients also develop orbital symptoms like exophthalmos, proptosis and diplopia - called Graves' Ophthalmopathy. Not all patients respond well to the standard therapy of systemic glucocorticoid administration. The inflammatory swelling of the intraorbital muscles can lead to p...

INTRODUCTION    Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disease associated with Graves disease. Its treatment is largely dependent on the severity and activity of ocular lesions. Particular attention should be given to radioiodine (RAI) therapy. Although its use is a valuable therapeutic option for hyperthyroidism, it may be followed by worsening of GO.  OBJECTIVES    The aim of the present...

Pixel-calibrated volume measurements of muscle and fat in the bony orbit were made from CT scans of 72 patients with Graves' disease, with and without ophthalmopathy, to define characteristic changes present in clinical subgroups. Measurement abnormalities were detected in 87% of Graves' patients with clinically detectable ophthalmopathy and in 70% of hyperthyroid patients without clinical eye ...