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Efficacy of combined orbital radiation and systemic steroids in the management of Graves’ orbitopathy

  • Oculoplastics and Orbit
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To compare the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with orbital irradiation and systemic steroids versus steroid monotherapy in the management of active Graves’ orbitopathy (GO).

Methods

The clinical charts of 127 patients with active inflammation due to GO who received intravenous steroid pulse therapy as a first-line treatment with or without orbital radiotherapy between 2010 and 2014 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two treatment groups: 1) combined orbital radiotherapy and steroid pulse therapy (SRT group) and 2) steroid pulse therapy only (ST group). Primary outcome measures included clinical activity score (CAS); NOSPECS classification; ocular motility impairment; and exophthalmos at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. The secondary outcome measure was the change in orbital, extraocular muscle (EOM), and fat volume after treatment measured by orbit computed tomography.

Results

Sixty-eight patients were included in the SRT group, and 59 patients were in the ST group. In both treatments, CAS and NOSPECS were significantly reduced. In the comparison of the degree of change from baseline between the groups, the SRT group demonstrated more improvement in NOSPECS and scores of ocular motility. Orbital, EOM, and fat volume significantly decreased in the SRT group; however, only fat volume was reduced in the ST group. Compressive optic neuropathy after treatment developed in 0 % of the SRT group and 3.4 % (2/59) of the ST group. Reactivation of inflammation occurred in 11.8 % (8/68) of the SRT group and 28.8 % (17/59) of the ST group.

Conclusions

Orbital radiotherapy in combination with steroid treatment significantly improved ocular motility by reducing EOM volume in patients with active GO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea

    Ji Won Kim, Tyler Hyungtaek Rim & Jin Sook Yoon

  2. Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Sun Hyup Han

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea

    Byeong Jae Son

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Ki Chang Keum

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  1. Ji Won Kim
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Correspondence to Jin Sook Yoon.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation(NRF) funded by the Korean government (grant number NRF-2015M3A9E2067031). The sponsor had no role in the design or conduct of this research.

Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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Supplementary Fig. 1

Flow diagram of inclusion for study subjects (JPG 369 kb)

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Kim, J.W., Han, S.H., Son, B.J. et al. Efficacy of combined orbital radiation and systemic steroids in the management of Graves’ orbitopathy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 254, 991–998 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3280-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3280-7

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