Presentation of Graves’ orbitopathy within European Group On Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) centres from 2012 to 2019 (PREGO III)

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology Vol. 108; no. 2; pp. 294 - 300
• Main Authors: Schuh, Anna, Ayvaz, Goksun, Baldeschi, Lelio, Baretić, Maja, Bechtold, Dorte, Boschi, Antonella, Brix, Thomas Heiberg, Burlacu, Maria-Cristina, Ciric, Jasmina, Covelli, Danila, Currò, Nicola, Donati, Simone, Eckstein, Anja K, Fichter, Nicole, Führer, Dagmar, Horn, Maren, Jabłońska-Pawlak, Anna, Juri Mandić, Jelena, Kahaly, George J, Konuk, Onur, Langbein, Amelie, Lanzolla, Giulia, Marcocci, Claudio, Marinò, Michele, Miśkiewicz, Piotr, Beleslin, Biljana Nedeljkovic, Pérez-Lázaro, Antonia, Pérez-López, Marta, Ponto, Katharina A, Quinn, Anthony, Rudofsky, Gottfried, Salvi, Mario, Schittkowski, Michael P, Tanda, Maria Laura, Toruner, Fusun, Vaidya, Bijay, Hintschich, Christoph R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.02.2024; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Edema; epidemiology; eye lids; Glaucoma; Graves disease; inflammation; Oculoplastic and Orbit; orbit; public health; Thyroid diseases; United Kingdom > UK; Germany; epidemiology; orbit; eye lids; inflammation; public health
• ISSN: 0007-1161; 1468-2079
• DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2022-322442

BackgroundGraves’ orbitopathy (GO) is subject to epidemiological and care-related changes. Aim of the survey was to identify trends in presentation of GO to the European Group On Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) tertiary referral centres and initial management over time.MethodsProspective observational multicentre study. All new referrals with diagnosis of GO within September–December 2019 were included. Clinical and demographic characteristics, referral timelines and initial therapeutic decisions were recorded. Data were compared with a similar EUGOGO survey performed in 2012.ResultsBesides age (mean age: 50.5±13 years vs 47.7±14 years; p 0.007), demographic characteristics of 432 patients studied in 2019 were similar to those in 2012. In 2019, there was a decrease of severe cases (9.8% vs 14.9; p<0.001), but no significant change in proportion of active cases (41.3% vs 36.6%; p 0.217). After first diagnosis of GO, median referral time to an EUGOGO tertiary centre was shorter (2 (0–350) vs 6 (0–552) months; p<0.001) in 2019. At the time of first visit, more patients were already on antithyroid medications (80.2% vs 45.0%; p<0.001) or selenium (22.3% vs 3.0%; p<0.001). In 2019, the initial management plans for GO were similar to 2012, except for lid surgery (2.4% vs 13.9%; p<0.001) and prescription of selenium (28.5% vs 21.0%; p 0.027).ConclusionGO patients are referred to tertiary EUGOGO centres in a less severe stage of the disease than before. We speculate that this might be linked to a broader awareness of the disease and faster and adequate delivered treatment.