ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the emotions and quality of life in the patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) .Methods 38 TAO patients with normal thyroid function and 34 healthy subjects were recruited .The patients with TAO were further divided into the mild and moderate-severe group by EUGOGO criteria .The depressive and anxious status and quality of life of all subjects were assessed by the rating scales .Results The incidence rate of anxiety and depression in the patients with TAO was 36 .8% and 28 .9% separately ,which were higher than 8 .8% and 5 .9% in the controls(P<0 .05) ,but the quality of life scores in TAO patients were lower than those in the controls (P<0 .05) .The subgroup analysis indicated that the incidence rate of anxiety and depression in female TAO patients was 50 .0% and 45 .5% separately ,which were higher than that in male TAO pa-tients 18 .8% vs .6 .3% (P<0 .05) ,but the quality of life scores in female TAO patients were lower than those in male TAO pa-tients(P<0 .05) .Compared with the mild-moderate group ,an obviously higher incidence rate of anxiety (21 .7% vs .60 .0% ,P<0 .05) and depression(8 .7% vs .60 .0% ,P< 0 .05) were observed in the severe group with the lower quality of life scores (P<0 .05) .Conclusion (1) TAO affects the emotions and the quality of life of TAO patients .(2) TAO patients have a statistically higher incidence rate of anxiety and depression and a lower quality of life ;this phenomenon is more obvious in female patients .(3) The patients with severe TAO are more likely to have anxiety and depression ,as well as a lower quality of life .