Systemic Inflammation, Thyroid Autoimmunity and Neuroretinal Changes in Graves Disease

Elazıg Fethi Sekin Sehir Hastanesi100 enrolled

Overview

This retrospective observational study aims to evaluate the relationship between systemic inflammatory parameters, thyroid autoimmunity markers, and neuroretinal structures in patients with Graves disease. Medical records of patients diagnosed with Graves disease and healthy control subjects evaluated at Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital between August 2018 and January 2026 will be reviewed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements, including macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, will be analyzed. Laboratory parameters such as complete blood count-derived inflammatory indices, C-reactive protein, thyroid function tests, and thyroid autoantibodies will also be recorded. The study will compare neuroretinal parameters between healthy controls, Graves disease patients without ophthalmopathy, and Graves disease patients with ophthalmopathy, and will investigate potential associations between systemic inflammation, thyroid autoimmunity, and neuroretinal structural changes.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

100

Conditions

Graves Disease Graves Ophthalmopathy

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years Diagnosis of Graves' disease (for the patient group) No known thyroid disease in healthy control participants Availability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements and laboratory data Time interval between OCT examination and blood sampling ≤ 10 days Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of glaucoma, optic neuropathy, or retinal vascular diseases Macular diseases, uveitis, or severe refractive error (high myopia \>6 diopters) Diabetic retinopathy History of previous intraocular surgery History of active infection, malignancy, or systemic inflammatory disease Poor-quality OCT measurements (segmentation errors or low signal strength)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness

Evaluation and comparison of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness values in different quadrants among study groups.

Time frame: Retrospective evaluation of OCT measurements obtained between August 2018 and January 2026

Macular Thickness Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography

Comparison of macular thickness measurements among healthy controls, Graves disease patients without ophthalmopathy, and Graves disease patients with ophthalmopathy.