Thyroid eye disease in Asians and recent advances in management

Abstract

Copyright © 2020 by the Chinese Medical Association. This paper aims to review the current understanding and advances in knowledge of thyroid eye disease(TED)with a focus on Asian population. TED can significantly impact quality of life, and has devastating consequences, including facial disfigurement and vision loss. Recent findings revealed a novel targeted therapy against TED, including teprotumumab, a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor. Teprotumumab was found to reverse the disease process in patients with active, moderate-to-severe TED. A randomized clinical trial of this drug compared to placebo showed significant improvement in clinical activity score, proptosis, subjective diplopia, and quality of life at 4 months follow-up in the treatment group. In this paper, we review the current epidemiology, pathophysiology, and advances in management of TED.