HYPEROPHTHALMOPATHIC SYNDROME IN THYROID DISEASE

Abstract

IN RECENT years attention has been redirected to cases of thyrotoxicosis with predominance of ophthalmic manifestations. The latter include proptosis, paresis of external ocular muscles, swelling of the lids, edema of the conjunctivae and retrobulbar pain. A variety of designations has been applied to this syndrome, such as “malignant exophthalmos” and “exophthalmic ophthalmoplegia.” These terms are purely descriptive and stress one or another feature of the syndrome, not all of which are present in every case. Recently two other terms have been suggested. Mulvany (12) speaks of “thyrotropic exophthalmos” a term that is objectionable on linguistic grounds since the author evidently does not wish to imply that the exophthalmos is thyrotropic but that it is caused by thyrotropic hormone. It would then be thyrotropogenic rather than thyrotropic. Means (9) speaks of “hyperophthalmopathic Graves' disease.” Mulvany's term implies a very definite opinion as to the genesis of the syndrome whereas Means is deliber...