Update on the medical treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To review recent advances in the understanding of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) pathogenesis as well as discuss current and future medical management strategies.


METHODS
Interpretive essay.


METHODS
Literature review and interpretation.


RESULTS
Medical treatment of GO has slowly evolved during the past few decades and has been hampered by a poor understanding of the disease at a cellular and molecular level. Current treatment recommendations and guidelines therefore focus on nonspecific immuno-suppression. Newer classes of treatment agents hold promise to more selectively target underlying cellular and molecular alterations in GO.


CONCLUSIONS
Cooperation between individual patients, physicians and between differing medical centers, together with a refined understanding of the pathogenesis of GO, will lead to newer more-effective treatments for the disease and improve patient quality of life.
Griepentrog
Gregory J
GJ
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Garrity
James A
JA