Glabellar rhytids in thyroid-associated orbitopathy

To correlate the presence and severity of glabellar rhytids with disease severity in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO).

Retrospective, noncomparative medical record review of 113 consecutive new patient visits with the clinical diagnosis of TAO. Ocular examination features studied included assessment of visual acuity, optic nerve appearance and function, proptosis, strabismus, eyelid position, and exposure keratopathy. These features were correlated with graded clinical photographs evaluating rhytid severity using the Fisher exact text.

Eighty of 97 patients included in the study (82.5%) had glabellar rhytids. Eyelid retraction was present in 95 of the 97 patients (98%). Patients with diplopia had more severe rhytids (p < 0.05). Patients with at least three abnormal clinical findings tended to have more severe rhytids.

Glabellar rhytids are a common finding in patients with TAO, and tend to be present in patients with diplopia and multiple stigmata of the disease.