Update on the medical treatment of Graves’ ophthalmopathy

Review

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Authors: Gregory J Griepentrog, James A Garrity

Published Date December 2009 Volume 2009:2 Pages 263 - 269

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S6856

Gregory J Griepentrog, James A Garrity

Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

Purpose: To review recent advances in the understanding of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) pathogenesis as well as discuss current and future medical management strategies.

Design: Interpretive essay.

Methods: Literature review and interpretation.

Results: Medical treatment of GO has slowly evolved during the past few decades and has been hampered by a poor understanding of the disease at a cellular and molecular level. Current treatment recommendations and guidelines therefore focus on nonspecific immuno-suppression. Newer classes of treatment agents hold promise to more selectively target underlying cellular and molecular alterations in GO.

Conclusion: Cooperation between individual patients, physicians and between differing medical centers, together with a refined understanding of the pathogenesis of GO, will lead to newer more-effective treatments for the disease and improve patient quality of life.

Keywords: Graves’ ophthalmopathy, thyroid eye disease, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy