Socioeconomic Disparities in the Presentation and Treatment of Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Eye Disease

ABSTRACT

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an inflammatory, autoimmune orbitopathy with multifactorial etiology. Clinical presentation of TED spans a range from mild surface irritation to vision threatening compressive optic neuropathy. Potential vision loss underscores the importance of understanding genetic and environmental factors influencing the severity of TED presentation. This review will describe the classic risk factors for TED, outline treatments for Graves’ disease (GD) and TED, and describe newer evidence of socioeconomic disparities in TED presentation.

Keywords:

• Disparity
• Graves’ ophthalmopathy
• orbitopathy
• socioeconomic status

ABBREVIATIONS

ATDs, anti-thyroid drugs; CAS, clinical activity score; EUGOGO, European Group on Graves’ Ophthalmopathy; GD, Graves’ disease; RAI, radioactive iodine; TED, thyroid eye disease; TPOAb, antithyroperoxidase antibody; TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone; TSI, thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.