Intraorbital Steroid Injection for Active Thyroid Ophthalmopathy

Understanding the clinical and molecular basis of thyroid orbitopathy: a review of recent evidence

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune orbital inflammatory disease which ranges from mild to severe. Tissue remodeling, fibrosis and fat proliferation cause changes in the orbital tissues which can affect esthetics and visual function. In its severe form, it is sight threatening, debilitating, and disfiguring and may lead to social stigma, the embarrassment about which has an impact on the quality of life of those affected and the family members. The pathogenesis of TED, which is influenced by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors, is complex and not fully elucidated. However, it remains unknown what factors determine the severity of the disease. Recent research has revealed a number of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of this disease. In this overview of TED, we focus on new insights and perspectives regarding biological agents that may provide a basis for new treatment modalities.

Orbital corticosteroid injections for the treatment of active thyroid eye disease

Purpose

To study the efficacy of orbital injections of triamcinolone acetonide mixed 1:1 with dexamethasone in the treatment of active thyroid eye disease.

Methods

Patients that received orbital injection(s) of triamcinolone acetonide mixed 1:1 with dexamethasone for thyroid eye disease were included in this retrospective study. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the pre-treatment and 1 month follow up evaluations. Clinical data included subjective pain and diplopia scores, best-corrected visual acuity, Intraocular pressure, extraocular motility, clinical activity score, Hertel exophthalmometry, and upper eyelid margin to reflex distance.

Results

Fifteen patients, 33 orbital injections, were included in the study. The average patient age was 59.2 years (SD ± 13.0) and 89% female. Subjectively, 67% of patients reported improvement of orbital pain and pressure versus 28% stable and 5% worse (p <0.001). Post-procedure clinical activity score decreased from 3.84 to 3.00 (p = 0.0004). There were no significant differences in upper eyelid margin to reflex distance (4.1 ± 1.4 mm vs. 4.3 ± 2.6 mm, p = 0.45), Hertel exophthalmometry (21.7 ± 9.4 mm vs. 21.8 ± 7.6 mm, p = 0.56), or extraocular motility (21% improved vs. 72% stable and 7% worsening, p = 0.50). No steroid-responsive increases in intraocular pressure or injection-related complications were reported.

Conclusion

Orbital steroid injections can successfully reduce symptoms of TED and may be a reliable tool in the treatment of TED as a relatively safe, fast-acting, efficacious treatment option, particularly as a bridge to other therapies.

Periocular methotrexate versus periocular triamcinolone injections for active thyroid-associated orbitopathy: a randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy and safety of periocular injections of methotrexate versus triamcinolone in the management of active thyroid-associated orbitopathy.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.

METHODS

Participants with bilateral active, moderate-to-severe thyroid-associated orbitopathy were randomly assigned to receive three periocular injections of 7.5 mg methotrexate in one orbit and three periocular injections of 20 mg triamcinolone in the contralateral orbit.

RESULTS

Among the enrolled 25 patients, 18 patients completed the study. A statistically significant reduction of the mean clinical activity score was detected in both arms (from 5.2 ± 0.89 at baseline to 0.9 ± 1.7 at study endpoint, p-value < 0.001 in the methotrexate arm, and from 5.1 ± 0.9 at baseline to 1 ± 1.7 at study endpoint, p-value < 0.001 in the triamcinolone arm), mean proptosis also decreased in both arms (from 25.2 ± 3.4 mm at baseline to 23.8 ± 3.7 mm at study endpoint, p-value = 0.01 in the methotrexate arm, and from 24.2 ± 3.06 mm at baseline to 23.2 ± 3.3 mm at study endpoint, p-value = 0.049 in the triamcinolone arm). Lid aperture and soft tissue signs improved significantly in both arms in comparison to baseline. A statistically significant reduction in the intraocular pressure was observed in the methotrexate arm but not in the triamcinolone arm. 88.9% of patients in both arms were overall responders at 6 months. There was no significant difference in mean CAS, proptosis, lid aperture or rate of responders between the two arms at any visit. Both drugs were found to be safe with minimal local and systemic complications.

CONCLUSION

Periocular injections of methotrexate represent an effective and safe alternative option for the management of active, moderate-to-severe thyroid-associated orbitopathy. Although no serious complications occurred during the 6-month follow-up, the possibility of late complications such as orbital fat atrophy cannot be ruled out.

Fungal abscess after intra-orbital steroid injection: a case report

A 28-year-old male presented with gradually progressive swelling of the right lower eyelid along with a prominence of the eye for 6 months. He had received oral steroids and intraorbital triamcinolone acetonide injection in the inferior quadrant for active thyroid eye disease. External examination revealed right eye proptosis and swelling along the inferior orbital region. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an ill-defined soft tissue lesion in the inferior extraconal space and a bulky right inferior rectus. Histopathology of the biopsied material revealed inflammation with septate fungal filaments, identified as Aspergillus flavus on culture. He responded well to oral voriconazole despite a recurrence during the course of treatment. Intraorbital steroids are given for idiopathic and thyroid-associated orbital inflammation. This is a report of a rare complication of fungal orbital abscess following intraorbital corticosteroid injection in an immunocompetent young patient.

Observations on the Efficacy of Two Methods for the Treatment of Upper Eyelid Retraction in Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy

Objective

To observe the clinical efficacy of periocular injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and subpalpebral injection of botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) for the treatment of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) with mild unilateral upper eyelid retraction.

Method

This was a prospective randomized controlled study. A total of 68 cases of stable thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy with mild upper eyelid retraction were collected at Hankou Aier Eye Hospital from Jan. 2015 to Dec. 2018 and randomly divided into two groups. Group A contained 33 patients who were administered TA by periocular injection once every 3 weeks for a total of 3 times. Group B contained 35 patients who were given a single subpalpebral administration of BTXA. The efficacy in the two groups was observed.

Results

Compared with the two groups, the effective rate in both groups was 100% at 1 week and 1 month after treatment. The effective rate of Group A remained 100% at 3 months after treatment, and that of Group B decreased to 88.6%. At 1 week after treatment, the degree of correction in Group B was greater than that in Group A (p < 0.001). At 1 month after treatment, it was not significantly different between the two groups (p > >>0.05). At 3 months after treatment, it was less in Group B than in Group A (p < 0.001). In Group A, there was one case of transient amaurosis, two cases of periorbital hemorrhage and swelling, and one mild case of sunken eyes. In Group B, four cases experienced recurrence after 3 months.

Conclusion

Periocular injection of TA and subpalpebral injection of BTXA offer definite therapeutic efficacy for mild upper eyelid retraction associated with thyroid disease. The former has a long treatment period, large procedural risks, and stable efficacy. The latter is a simple procedure with a short treatment period but can easily recur.

Updates on the understanding and management of thyroid eye disease

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a complex disease associated with myriad clinical presentations, including facial disfigurement, vision loss, and decreased quality of life. Traditionally, steroid therapy and/or radiation therapy were commonly used in the treatment of active TED. While these therapies can help reduce inflammation, they often do not have a sustainable, significant long-term effect on disease outcomes, including proptosis and diplopia. Recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of TED have shifted the focus of treatment toward targeted biologic therapies. Biologics have the advantage of precise immune modulation, which can have better safety profiles and greater efficacy compared to traditional approaches. For instance, the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) has been found to be upregulated in TED patients and to colocalize with the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR), forming a signaling complex. Teprotumumab is an antibody targeted against IGF-1R. By inhibiting the IGF-1R/TSHR signaling pathway, teprotumumab may reduce the production of proinflammatory cytokines, hyaluronan secretion, and orbital fibroblast activation in patients with TED. Due to promising phase II and III clinical trial results, teprotumumab has become the first biologic US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of TED. In addition, there are currently ongoing studies looking at the use of antibodies targeting the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in various autoimmune diseases, including TED. FcRn functions to transport immunoglobulin G (IgG) and prevent their lysosomal degradation. By blocking the recycling of IgG, this approach may dampen the body's immune response, in particular the pathogenic IgG implicated in some autoimmune diseases. Advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of TED, therefore, are leading to more targeted therapeutic options, and we are entering an exciting new phase in the management of TED. This review will cover recent insights into the understanding of TED pathophysiology and novel treatment options as well as ongoing studies of new potential treatment options for TED.

Peribulbar injection of glucocorticoids for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and factors affecting therapeutic effectiveness: A retrospective cohort study of 386 cases

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is common in Graves' disease. However, to date, no standard treatment has been established for TAO. The present study aimed to assess peribulbar injection of corticosteroids for TAO treatment as well as factors affecting therapeutic effectiveness. A retrospective cohort study was performed at West China Hospital, Sichuan University (Chengdu, China). Patients with TAO were administered peribulbar injection of triamcinolone acetonide and dexamethasone monthly. Ocular signs after each injection were assessed until the end of treatment. All patients were followed up for at least six months. Best corrected visual acuity, proptosis values, eye motility assessed by the Hess chart, as well as eyelid width and downward movement were determined. In addition, clinical data were retrospectively reviewed to explore factors affecting therapeutic effectiveness by logistic regression analysis. In the present study, 386 patients with TAO (515 eyes) were evaluated; 71.37% of cases of eyelid swelling were relieved and upper eyelid retraction was improved in 47.58% of affected patients. Eye movement disorders, diplopia and strabismus were all alleviated to varying degrees, with few adverse reactions. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that therapeutic effectiveness was relatively lower in males [odds ratio (OR)=0.32, P=0.001] and patients with thyroid dysfunction (OR=0.41, P=0.002), and that non-smokers had a higher odds of substantial improvement (OR=4.62, P=0.008). The duration of TAO was not significantly associated with the clinical outcome. Patients with reduced disease severity and elevated clinical activity score exhibited higher effectiveness (all P<0.05). In conclusion, peribulbar injection of corticosteroids is effective in treating mild to moderate TAO, with the therapeutic response affected by gender, smoking and disease severity.

Glucocorticoids in Graves' orbitopathy: mechanisms of action and clinical application

BACKGROUND

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is the most frequent extrathyroidal manifestation of the autoimmune Graves' disease. GO significantly impacts quality of life and has a psycho-social morbidity. Inflammation and swelling of the orbital tissue often leads to proptosis, diplopia, and decrease of visual acuity. Due to the inflammatory background of the disease, glucocorticoids (GC) have been used as a first-line treatment for decades.

METHODS

PubMed and MeSH database were searched for original articles, clinical trials, reviews, and meta-analyses published between 1 January 2000 and 31 March 2020 and pertaining to both the mechanism of action and immunological effects of GC as well as to the treatment of GO by GC. The publications were evaluated according to their setting and study design.

RESULTS

GC act through genomic (trans-activation and trans-repression) and rapid non-genomic mechanisms. GC in general, and the intravenous (IV) administration of GC in particular, markedly decrease the activity and number of the most potent antigen-presenting dendritic cells. According to the internationally acknowledged European Thyroid Association Guidelines for the management of GO, weekly IVGC application over 12 weeks is recommended as first-line treatment for patients with active and severe GO. The daily and cumulative dose should be tailored according to clinical severity, for example, 4.5 g of IV methylprednisolone for the inflammatory component versus 7.5 g in the presence of diplopia and severe proptosis. Fast and significant improvements in orbital symptoms and signs are noted in 65-70% of patients. Long-term experience over decades, and worldwide availability at low cost, underline the clinical and therapeutic relevance of GC. Adverse events are rarely severe, dose-dependent, and usually reversible, hence easy to handle by medical investigators. Oral GC application on a daily basis is characterized by high bioavailability but reduced efficacy and increased toxicity.

CONCLUSION

IVGC still represents the standard of care in active/severe GO. Innovative biologicals, like monoclonal antibodies targeting the thyrotropin/Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors or pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., Interleukin-6) should be compared with standard GC treatment with respect to short- and long-term efficacy, safety, costs, and global availability.