Rapid Progression of Graves' Ophthalmopathy Despite the Administration of Thiamazole

Abstract

A 42-year-old female with body weight loss, finger tremors and ocular discomfort was diagnosed with Graves' disease complicated with ophthalmopathy. Thiamazole therapy rapidly improved her hyperthyroidism. However, she was admitted to our hospital because her eye symptoms acutely deteriorated over a period of two weeks. She had ocular immotility, exposure keratitis, conjunctival edema, severe proptosis and visual impairment with a high titer of serum thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb). Methylprednisolone pulse therapy at a dose of 500 mg/day improved her eye symptoms. Although the mechanism of the progression of Graves' ophthalmopathy has not yet been elucidated, special attention should be paid to the occurrence of ophthalmopathy even after the initiation of thiamazole therapy.