The Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics of Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO). METHODS: We retrospectively studied the clinical data of 385 patients from the New York City area diagnosed with TAO from January 1990 to December 2000. The total cases were divided into male and female groups and age-adjusted relative incidence rates were obtained to plot the incidence curve and clinical characteristics. Statistical analysis was applied to the collected data. RESULTS: The average age of patients with TAO was 46.3 years for females and 50.1 years for males. The female-male ratio was 5.311. In 23.3% of patients, the diagnosis of TAO was made simultaneously with their thyroid disease. In 75% of cases, the diagnosis was made within 18 months of the presentation of thyroid disease. Soft tissue involvement was noted most frequently in 311 (80.8%), eyelid retraction in 306 (79.5%), proptosis in 278 (72.2%), restrictive myopathy in 234 (60.8%), and compressive optic neuropathy in 43 (11.2%) of 385 patients. CONCLUSIONS: TAO has variable and different epidemiologic and clinical characteristics according to sex and age.