Endocrine Abstracts

We are conducting an open study on the treatment of Graves’ disease (GD) and thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) with the monoclonal antibody to CD-20, rituximab (RTX) (MabThera, Hoffman-Roche, Basel). RTX induces depletion of B cells and GD is typically a B cell dependent autoimmune disease. We present preliminary results on 7 patients with GD and TAO at different clinical stages: 3 women with newly diagnosed GD and initial TAO; 1 woman with GD and moderate-severe TA...

We previously described a significant response to RTX treatment in patients with active TAO, with no effect on TRAb and hyperthyroidism. In order to study the effect of RTX in the orbit, we analyzed the orbital tissues of 9 patients with TAO at decompression after RTX (n.2) or other treatments. Decompression was carried out in 2 patients for sight threatening optic neuropathy and in 7 for correction of proptosis. Of the RTX treated patients, one was decompressed after 12 month...