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

摘要

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.