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Review
. 2015 Jun 17;39(3):109-115.
doi: 10.3109/01658107.2015.1039140. eCollection 2015 Jun.

Rituximab in the Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease: A Review

Rochella A Ostrowski  1 , Melissa R Bussey  1 , Yasmin Shayesteh  2 , Walter M Jay  2
Affiliations
Review

Rituximab in the Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease: A Review

Rochella A Ostrowski et al. Neuroophthalmology. .

Abstract

Graves disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease classically characterised by a clinical triad consisting of hyperthyroidism, diffuse goitre, and thyroid eye disease. Thyroid eye disease is an immunologically mediated condition in which humoral immunity is thought to play a central role. Thyroid eye disease is traditionally treated with high-dose glucocorticosteroids and surgical orbital decompression. However, responses are inadequate and alternative treatment options are needed. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, shows promise as a novel therapeutic option for thyroid eye disease. There are 43 cases of thyroid eye disease treated with rituximab in the medical literature, and larger studies are warranted to determine the long-term effectiveness of rituximab. Rituximab may represent an attractive new treatment option for thyroid eye disease, especially in the case of disease that is refractory to current treatment strategies.

Keywords: Biologic therapy; Graves disease; Graves orbitopathy; ophthalmopathy rituximab; thyroid eye disease; thyroid-associated orbitopathy.

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