Graves' ophthalmopathy after subtotal thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy

Forty-five patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy were studied prospectively. Twenty-one patients (42 orbits; group 1) were treated surgically by subtotal thyroidectomy and 24 (48 orbits; group 2) received radioiodine therapy. All patients underwent tests of thyroid function, ophthalmological examination, and axial and coronal computed tomography before and 12 months after treatment. Patients in group 1 showed significant improvement in the Feldon score (P < 0.001), in proptosis as estimated by Hertel exophthalmometry (P < 0.001) and in proptosis (P < 0.001), maximum diameter of the medial rectus (P < 0.01), lateral rectus (P < 0.05), superior group (P < 0.05) and inferior rectus (P < 0.001) muscles as estimated by computed tomography. Patients in group 2 showed significant improvement only in the Feldon score (P < 0.05). The ophthalmopathy of Graves' disease improves to a greater extent after subtotal thyroidectomy than after radioiodine therapy.