Dysthyroid orbital disease in Macaca fascicularis

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Ophthalmology
• Primate Medicine
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Dysthyroid orbitopathy is the most common cause of unilateral exophthalmos in humans.
• This condition involves thyroid dysfunction affecting the eye socket.
• Previous reports have not documented this condition in nonhuman primates.

Observation:

• A mature male macaque (Macaca fascicularis) presented with fluctuating left exophthalmos.
• Clinical examination included ophthalmic assessment, radiography, A- and B-scan ultrasonography, and computerized tomography.
• Laboratory results indicated thyroid hypofunction.

Findings:

• The clinical and histopathologic findings were consistent with dysthyroid orbitopathy.
• This represents the first reported case of dysthyroid orbitopathy in a nonhuman primate.
• The macaque serves as a potential model for studying this human disease.

Implications:

• This macaque model offers new opportunities for research into dysthyroid orbitopathy.
• Understanding this condition in primates may advance human treatment strategies.
• Further research can explore the pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions for thyroid-related eye disease.