Endocrine ophthalmopathy: pharmacogenetic markers of efficiency of glucocorticoid therapy

Abstract

The pathological process of endocrine ophthalmopathy is based on damage to the soft tissues of the orbit against the background of impaired thyroid function and even its euthyroid state. The pathogenetic mechanisms of the development of clinical symptoms of endocrine ophthalmopathy (EOP) are based on morphological changes in extraocular muscles (EOM) and orbital tissue: cellular tissue infiltration by representatives of the immune system (T- and B-lymphocytes, macrophages, mast and plasma cells), with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, fibroblasts and glycosaminoglycans, contributing to an increase in the contents of the orbit in volume with the development of exophthalmos and tissue fibrosis at the end of the inflammatory process. Glucocorticoids are the gold standard for the pathogenetic treatment of patients with clinical forms of endocrine ophthalmopathy: edematous exophthalmos and endocrine myopathy. The properties of drugs of this group are such that they can be used to suppress all stages of inflammation in the orbital tissues, preventing the progression of the disease. Despite the many years of experience in applying various glucocorticoid therapy techniques, to date there are no uniform criteria for the effectiveness of this treatment in patients with endocrine ophthalmopathy. The article presents the features of glucocorticoid therapy of endocrine ophthalmopathy, as well as literature data, on the basis of which attempts have been made to explain the causes of glucocorticoid resistance taking into account the pharmacogenetic profile.