[Quality of life in patients with orbitopathy - single center experience]

Thyroid-associated orbitopathy is a syndrome of eye symptoms produced by immunological inflammation of soft tissues of orbit,mostly due to Graves-Basedow disease. This disease is accompanied by proptosis, oedema of lids, double vision, tearing and photophobia. These symptoms lead to significant deterioration of quality of life due to reduction of sharpness of sight and therefore worsen emotional condition of patients.

The aim of study was to assess the impact of Graves orbitopathy on quality of life. Additional aim was assessement of deppression among the subjects.

Study in form of anonymous modified questionnaire EUGOGO grading quality of life of patients with thyroidassociated orbitopathy and the scale of depression by Beck - carried out directly among 30 patients of Clinic od Endocrinology of the Medical Univeristy of Łódź (22 female and 8 male) from November 2011 to April 2012.

Patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy have considerably reduced quality of life - carried out qestionnaires showed they have problems with everyday activity like: riding bicycle (17 patients - 57%), driving car (14 patients - 45%), moving in apartment and outside (9 patients - 30%), watching TV (21 patients - 17%) and reading books (25 patients - 83%). Furthermore, many patients with thyroidassociated orbitopathy have serious emotional disorders - 20 persons have symptoms of depression.

Graves orbitopathy have negative influence on quality of life. Orbitopathy worsens self-evaluation of patients, their interpersonal contacts, making new acquaintances, working and finding new job. Furthermore, many patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy have serious emotional disorders. It seems reasonable to include psychotherapist in the therapeutic process.