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[Analysis of ocular saccadic movements with a fatigue test and neostigmine in Graves' ophthalmopathy]
L di Lorenzo1, S Savastano, A Di Costanzo
1Dipartimento di Endocrinologia, Facoltà di Medicina, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli.
Background:
Aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of association between Myasthenia Gravis (MG) and Graves Ophthalmopathy (GO) using the responses to diagnostic tests for MG (fatigue and neostigmine tests) by measuring horizontal saccadic eye movements (SEM).
Methods:
For this paper a random investigation was performed on eleven patients, affected by Graves' disease (GD) at the department of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Oncology and department of Neurology of University of Federico II of Naples, for one year. Eleven patients (11 F), were subjected to endocrinological and ophthalmological examinations (TSH IRMA, TT3-RIA, TT4-RIA, TgAb, TPOAb, orbit ultrasonography or computed tomographic scans) and computerized analysis of saccadic eye movements (SEM); the fatigue and neostigmine tests were performed by means of SEM analysis in seven of this patients.
Results:
Our results have reported that a positive response to the diagnostic tests for MG is present in 41.6% of hyperthyroid patients with GO, further supporting the hypothesis of a common autoimmune pathogenesis is present between these pathologies.
Conclusions:
SEM analysis may be a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of GO.