Graves' Orbitopathy Flashcards
What is the incidence of Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO)?
Estimated incidence of GO is 16 women or 3 men per 100,00
= Women affected 5x more than men
Approx. 400,000ppl in the UK with GO
Why may have Graves’ Orbitopathy prevalence reduced?
Risk factors such as smoking and employment may have been the cause for the reduction in GO over the years
What is the thyroid gland?
Butterfly shaped gland in the lower neck anterior to the trachea between the SCM muscles that’s a highly vascular endocrine organ consisting of densely packed follicles
What is the function of the Thyroid Gland?
- Concentrates iodide to form thyroid hormones
- Thyroid hormones synthesised and stored in the follicles
What stimulates the release of TSH?
TRH in the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland to the thyroid gland
Where is TSH secreted?
Anterior pituitary
What does TSH stimulate secretion of?
T3 - Tri-iodothyronine
T4 - Tetra-iodothyronine (Thyroxine)
T3 & T4 secreted into bloodstream (bound to plasma proteins and free form intracellular)
What growth and development role do thyroid hormones have?
- Help regulate rate of growth of many tissues
- Maturation of CNS and bones
- Regulation and synthesis of some respiratory enzymes
What Metabolic effects do thyroid hormones have?
Regulate:
- Basal metabolic rate
- Water & ion transport
- Calcium & phosphorus metabolism
- Cholesterol & fat metabolism
- Nitrogen metabolism
What is the main sign and symptom of Hyperthyroidism?
As the thyroid is overactive in hyperthyroidism this leads to an enlarged thyroid gland (‘Goitre’)
What is ‘Goitre’?
Enlarged thyroid gland
What are the signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism following goitre?
As goitre can lead to overproduction of hormones it can lead to:
- Abnormal heart rhythms – tachycardia
- Increased appetite but may have weight loss
- Hand tremors
- Fine brittle hair
- Hyperactivity
- Heat intolerance and increased perspiration – warm, moist skin
- Lighter or less frequent periods
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Muscle weakness – upper arms and thighs
What are the signs and symptoms of Hypothyroidism?
An under-active thyroid can lead to:
- Fatigue, exhaustion
- Feeling run down and sluggish
- Unexplained / excessive weight gain
- Dry, coarse, itchy skin and hair
- Slow heart rate
- Feeling cold – especially in the extremities
- More frequent periods, increased menstrual flow
- Difficulty concentrating – brain fog
- Hoarse voice
- Muscle cramps
How do we diagnose thyroid abnormalities?
- Blood test for TSH – (considered outside normal if lower than 0.3 or higher than 3.0)
- Blood test for Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)
- Blood test for Anti-thyroid antibodies
- Calculated free T4 index (10-20 pmol/L)
- Serum T3 (2.5 – 5.3 pmol/L)
- Normative values often vary based on location so always best to speak to a medic about this if further information required!
What drugs can we used for treating hyperthyroidism?
- Thinomines
- Steroids
- Immunosuppressants
- Radioactive Iodine
What are the types of thinomines and what are they for?
They’re for treating hyperthyroidism
Carbimazole, Methamizole, Propylthiouracil
What do Thinomines do and how do they work??
For reducing hyperthyroidism
- Interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis by blocking the build up of iodine. Most effective if the onset of disease within 1 year
What steroids can we use in hyperthyroidism?
Oral Prednisolone
How do steroids (oral prednisolone) help with hyperthyroidism?
By decreasing secretion of thyroid hormones and peripheral conversion of T4 and T3. Used in severe cases
What are the types of immunosuppressants used in hyperthyroidism?
Azathioprine or Rituximab
How often are immunosuppressants used in hyperthyroidism?
Very rarely - mainly used for comorbidities
How is Radioactive Iodine used in hyperthyroidism?
- Radioactive iodine introduced to the body and taken up by the thyroid gland. Normal cell division and function is disturbed.
Who is radioactive iodine used in most commonly?
Hyperthyroid patients over 45 years of age or in younger patients if other treatments are contraindicated
What are some drawbacks to radioactive iodine?
- 20% of patients become hypothyroid within 1 year of the treatment (after hyperthyroid treatment using radioactive iodine)
- Ocular symptoms have been found to worsen following this treatment (Acharya 2008)
What is a thyroidectomy?
Hyperthyroid Surgery where they remove most of thyroid gland to reduce hormone production
What is the post-op recurrence rate for thyroidectomies? What is the post-op hypothyroidism rate?
- Post-op recurrence in 10-15% of patients
- Post-op hypothyroidism in 40% of patients
Who are more likely to undergo thyroidectomies?
Younger patients as it’s a one-stop surgery for most so no need for lifelong medication. There’s also fewer side effects and lower costs for the NHS.
What drugs are used in hypothyroidism?
Oral Thyroxine
What is Graves’ Disease?
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorderthat causes hyperthyroidism. The immune systemattacks the thyroid and causes it to make more thyroid hormone than the body needs.
Are the majority of Graves’ Disease congenital or acquired? Why?
Congenital cases are usually toxicity related so majority of cases of GD (Graves Disease) are acquired cases
What else can Graves’ Orbitopathy (GO) be called?
- Thyroid eye disease (TED)
- Dysthyroid eye disease (DED)
- Dysthyroid ophthalmopathy / orbitopathy
- Endocrine ophthalmopathy
- Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO)
- Endocrine exophthalmos
What is Graves’ Orbitopathy?
An auto-immune disease (systemic) of the orbit that affects the orbital soft tissues
How does Graves’ Orbitopathy happen?
Presence of circulating antibodies that bind and stimulate the thyroid hormone receptor (TSH) leading to hyperthyroidism and goitre.
Who does Graves’ Orbitopathy affect more?
Incidence - Male / female
16/100 000 women
3/100 000 men
Age
Women 45-50 years
Men 50-55 years (> severity)
Greater severity with age
How does smoking impact Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Main known risk factor 7 - 8 fold increase
- Severity of eye signs and symptoms increased with increased tobacco consumption (Shine et al, 1990 Lancet)
In patients with Graves’ Orbitopathy what % have hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism & euthyroidism?
Hyperthyroidism 90%
Hypothyroid 3-5%
Euthyroid 5%
What % of patients have hyperthyroidism without eye signs on initial assessment vs. after CT imaging?
Patients hyperthyroid without eye signs = 50-60%
80-90% have EOM changes on CT imaging
What are the stages of Graves’ Orbitopathy?
Wet (AKA Congestive / Inflammatory / Active phase)
- Eyes are painful and red
- Can last around 3 years
Dry (AKA Fibrotic / Inactive phase)
- Eyes are white
- Painless, restrictive myopathy may be present
How long does the active phase of GO last?
Active phase (1 - 3 years)
What are the signs related to Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Lid retraction (90-98%)
- Lid lag – von Graefe’s sign
- Exophthalmos (proptosis)
- Lid oedema
- Periorbital oedema
- Epiphora (watery eyes)
- Visual loss – Dysthyroid optic neuropathy DON ~5%
- Chemosis (swelling of eye lids)
- Strabismus
- AHP
- Thyroid disease
Some similarities to myasthenia gravis but a big tell-tale sign of MG is variability in the ptosis
When is the inflammation and fibrosis stage in GO?
Muscles become fibrosed (weaker) over time so left with some symptoms that don’t change like they did the first 3 years so inflammation is at 1-3yrs
What symptoms are related to Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Most common is change in appearance and/or ocular irritation
- Dry eyes
- Epiphora
- Grittiness
- Diplopia
- Photophobia /Flashing lights
- Reduced vision / colour vision (if optic neuropathy present)
- Pain/ ache on extreme of gaze
- Psychological distress at changing appearance
How do we measure lid retraction?
- Position patient’s head correctly
- Ask patient to fixate on target positioned at their eye level and in the distance.
- Ask patient to relax as much as possible to record the minimum amount of retraction for that patient (i.e. Müller’s muscle as relaxed as possible).
- Observer holds vertical clear plastic ruler near to visual axis without touching eyelashes
- Observer should consistently use only one of their eyes, and on same horizontal level as patient’s eye.
- For patients with manifest strabismus, the contralateral visual axis is occluded prior to measurement.
Record in mm
If you measure lid retraction and it gets worse over appointments what does this mean?
If you measure and it is getting worse you’d think they’re in their active/wet phase of Graves Orbitopathy
In patients with manifest strabismus what must you do when measuring lid retraction?
For patients with manifest strabismus, the contralateral visual axis is occluded prior to measurement.
How do we measure exophthalmos/proptosis?
Hertel Mirror Exophthalmometer
What are the normal ranges of exophthalmos in caucasian males, caucasian females, African males and African females?
12-21mm Caucasian males
12-20mm Caucasian females
12-24mm African males
12-23mm African females
Why is it important to do a CT scan for exophthalmos?
Patients thought to have unilateral orbitopathy then had a CT/MRI showed bilateral asymmetrical cases in a lot of these patients
exophthalmometry >22mm or
asymmetry greater than 3mm
What is Von Graefe’s Sign?
Lid Lag
What areas does Graves’ Orbitopathy affect?
- EOMs
- Orbit
- Lids
- Sight
What happens in wet phase/active phase Graves’ orbitopathy to the EOMs?
- Cellular infiltration with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and osmotic inhibition of water
- This leads to EOMs becoming up to 8-10x enlarged
- May compress ON leading to visual loss
- Subsequent degeneration of muscle fibres leads to fibrosis resulting in restricted motility and diplopia
This phase tends to settle within 3 years
What OMs are apparently in Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Limitation
- Reversal
- Saccadic issues
- Cog wheel pursuit
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Retraction
- Bilateral involvement (can present as unilateral but often asymmetric so masked)
What happens in fibrotic phase / dry phase Graves’ orbitopathy to the EOMs?
- Muscle fibres become distorted, contracted and damaged due to fibrosis
- Eyes are white and quiet
- Painless, restrictive myopathy may be present
What is the order of EOM involvement?
- IR
- MR
- SR, LR
- SO, IO (Thacker et al 2005)
- Vertical, horizontal and torsional diplopia
- Swelling of EOM results in restriction: if IR affected then patient is unable to elevate as eye becomes tethered down
Questions to ask in clinic someone with Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Do you have any thyroid issues or being investigated for thyroid issues? Any treatments for this? Medications?
- What symptoms do you have (and prompt questions around the answers)?
- Are you a smoker?
- Age?
- Length of time symptoms have been going on? Specifically orbital?
- Any investigations?
- Medications
- Family History of thyroid issues or Graves orbitopathy?
How do we do a differential diagnosis of Graves’ Orbitopathy?
- Lid retraction and lid-lag, which are typical of Graves’ orbitopathy but are absent in orbital myositis
- Pain is often severe and may be the mode of presentation in orbital myositis
- Thyroid function, which should be normal in myositis, with absence of thyroid autoantibodies
- The onset is usually gradual in Graves’ orbitopathy and more acute in myositis
- Graves’ orbitopathy is usually bilateral, with evidence of multiple muscle involvement on CT imaging
- In myositis there is CT scan evidence of involvement of the extraocular muscle tendon, which is usually spared in Graves’ orbitopathy.
How are palpebral fissure measurements helpful in GO?
An increase or decrease in the height of the palpebral fissure can be characteristic of some incomitant conditions, for example:
- Narrowing of the fissure on adduction and widening on abduction are diagnostic features of Duane’s retractions syndrome
- The fissure commonly widens on attempted elevation in Graves’ orbitopathy and orbital blow-out fracture
- Widening of the fissure occurs on abduction in some cases of acquired CNVI and on adduction in CNIII palsy associated with aberrant regeneration
What can result in increased drive to the SR in effort to elevate the eye in GO?
Mechanical restriction of elevation due to tethering of the inferior rectus in GO results in increased drive to the superior rectus in an effort to elevate the eye. As the superior rectus and LPS are synergists, equal innervation goes to the LPS resulting in overaction and lid retraction.
Why should we test visual fields in GO?
Visual fields should be tested in all patients with orbital pathology such as ischaemic optic nerve defects caused by elevated intraorbital pressure are a sight-threatening complication of Graves’ orbitopathy, calling for very urgent treatment.
Who should we use a Hess Chart in GO?
Hess Chart to be plotted for all incomitant strabismus and in Graves’ orbitopathy it is to provide a baseline in conditions likely to develop defective ocular movements in the course of the disease.
Why do we do field of BSV in GO?
The field of BSV can be measured in degrees from the perimeter chart and these measurements compared with those of the normal field. The greater the limitation of ocular movement, the smaller the field of BSV. However, the size is influenced by the patient’s fusion amplitude; if this is good the field will be enlarged, at least in congenital vertical muscle palsies and in patients with Graces’ orbitopathy involving vertically acting muscles. A narrow field of BSV, is characteristic of mechanically caused limitation of movement in opposing directions; a blow-out fracture of the orbital floor with entrapment of tissue is an example of this.
Who would we measure uniocular fixation in GO?
Field of uniocular fixation is a measurement of ductions. The field is plotted on a kinetic perimeter and recorded on a perimeter chart. It is useful in plotting any change from visit-to-visit. A modification of the technique is used in monitoring Graves’ orbitopathy. It is useful if there is no binocular vision or if gross restriction of ocular movement is present, preventing the use of the Lees screen. It is also useful in patients with bilateral limitation where only the asymmetry would be plotted using the Hess chart and is of limited value in these cases. Field of uniocular fixation is a useful measurement of the degree of movement present on ductions in mechanical limitations of movement.
Why would we record Prism Fusion Range in GO?
The vertical fusion amplitude is mainly measured in patients with Graves’ orbitopathy and those with long-standing vertical muscle palsies, who often have an increased fusion amplitude. The measurement is useful in determining prism strength and can influence the amount of surgery performed.
How are we doing surgery in GO?
The most commonly affected muscles are the inferior and medial recti muscles. Undercorrection of the angle of deviation, indicated when operating on esotropia for aesthetic reasons, in adults with decompensating exophoria, in many congenital cranial nerve palsies and in Graves’ orbitopathy.
The inferior rectus has a strong indirect attachment to the lower eyelid that can result in lower eyelid retraction after a recession of 6mm or mote, especially in patients with Graves’ orbitopathy who may have pre-existing lid retractionGraves can benefit from post-op or intraoperative adjustments to enable patients to fuse their diplopia
How long should we wait before doing surgery in GO?
A period of observation to allow time for spontaneous recovery and treatment for the underlying condition. A period of 9-12 months is necessary in neurogenic palsies. The patient has to be medically stable before undergoing surgery and the ocular movements must have been static for at least 3 months but this observation period is longer in those with Graves’ orbitopathy.
What % of Myasthenia Gravis patients have Graves’ Orbitopathy?
If patients have myasthenia gravis, 10% of them will also have Graves’ orbitopathy.