Intravenous Glucocorticoid Therapy Research Articles

Comparison of efficacy and safety of parenteral versus parenteral and oral glucocorticoid therapy in Graves' orbitopathy.

The most effective and safe treatment protocol for Graves' orbitopathy (GO) needs to be further assessed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and outcome of parenteral versus parenteral and oral glucocorticoid (GC) protocols in euthyroid patients with untreated and active moderate to severe GO. This was a retrospective observational study in 140 patients comparing intravenous GC pulses only (IVGC group, 74 patients, 51 ± 11 years) with historical controls of combined oral and intravenous GC therapy (CombGC group, 66 patients, 49 ± 10 years, P = ns). IVGC therapy included infusions of 500 mg of methylprednisolone weekly for the first six weeks, followed by infusions of 250 mg weekly for the remaining six weeks (cumulative dose 4.5 g). CombGC therapy included 500 mg of methylprednisolone in 500 mL of saline solution for two alternative days, followed by oral prednisone tapering dose repeated each month for the next 5 months (cumulative dose 10.2 g). The overall success of the treatment was 43/66 (65%) in the CombGC group and 37/73 (51%, P = .071) in the IVGC group. Deterioration of GO developed in four (6%) patients during CombGC therapy and in nine (12%, P = .214) patients during IVGC therapy. After 6 months, relapse of GO was observed in 10/37 (26%) in the IVGC group, whereas none of the patients in CombGC had a relapse (P < .001). There were significantly more side effects in the CombGC versus IVGC group (49/66, 74% vs 28/74, 38%, P < .001). Our data suggest that CombGC therapy was more efficient with significantly less relapse rate, but with more side effects in comparison to IVGC therapy.

COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: An Initial Experience From the US Epicenter

COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: An Initial Experience From the US Epicenter

Ataxia as the main manifestation of tumor-like primary angiitis of the central nervous system: a case report and literature review

BackgroundPrimary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare disease, and tumor-like primary angiitis of the central nervous system is even rarer. Histopathology is the gold standard for tumor-mimicking PACNS. However, pathological diagnosis is relatively limited due to fewer biopsy opportunities.Case presentationA 68-year-old male presented with ataxia, and was diagnosed with tumor-like primary angiitis of the central nervous system. The patient underwent Intravenous drip glucocorticoid therapy (10 mg of dexamethasone, daily). After 10 days, the symptoms of the patient were completely relieved. Radiology revealed that the low density lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere obviously narrowed. Cyclophosphamide therapy was not initiated.ConclusionIt is crucial for clinicians to be aware of changes in radiology that indicate PACNS, since the diagnosis of tumor-like PACNS remains quite challenging. Glucocorticoid therapy is an effective therapy in this condition, and the prognosis can be favorable.

Intravenous glucocorticoids therapy in the treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

To evaluate the benefit and harms of high-dose intravenous glucocorticoids (IVGC) as first-line treatment for Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). A systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing IVGC for the treatment of GO, with placebo or other treatments, were conducted. Electronic databases were searched, and standard methodological guidance of Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used. The primary outcome was overall response, and secondary outcomes included the improvement and change in clinical activity score (CAS), and adverse events. Ten RCTs were included in the Meta-analysis. Low quality evidence (one trial) showed that participants receiving IVGC achieved significantly higher response compared to participants receiving placebo [risk ratio (RR) 7.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14 to 49.26]. Moderate quality evidence (four trials) support appreciable benefit of IVGC in response compared with oral glucocorticoids (OGC), with of RR being 1.51 (95%CI 1.25 to 1.83). There was low quality evidence (one trial) compatible with appreciable benefit for IVGC plus orbital radiotherapy in response (RR 1.38, 95%CI 1.07 to 1.79), compared with OGC plus orbital radiotherapy. One IVGC versus rituximab trial provided moderate quality evidence suggesting that participants using IVGC achieved significantly lower response compared to participants using rituximab (RR 0.70, 95%CI 0.50 to 0.98). One IVGC versus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) trial provided moderate quality evidence suggesting that participants using IVGC achieved significantly lower response compared to participants using MMF (RR 0.74, 95%CI 0.63 to 0.88). Very low quality evidence (one trial) showed that participants with dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) receiving IVGC were more likely to achieve response compared to participants receiving orbital decompression (RR 3.33, 95%CI 0.51 to 21.89). The current evidence is moderate quality, which is sufficient to support IVGC to be as the first-line treatment for moderate-to-severe GO, and the use of rituximab or MMF to be the second-line treatment instead of IVGC. However, the evidence is very low quality, which is insufficient to support the use of IVGC or orbital decompression as the first-line treatment of DON.

Analysis of Correlation of WAS Gene Mutations with Clinical Phenotype

To investigate the gene mutation of patients with WAS gene defect and its correlation with clinical manifestations. Thirty-one patients consulted in Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 2013 to February 2018 were enrolled in this study. The hot pot mutations of WAS gene in 31 patients were detected and related clinical phenotypes were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were male. The median onset age was 1 month (range, 0-83 months). Nine mutants were reported as novel mutations among 25 mutants detected in 31 patients, including c.1234_1235dupCC, c.1093-1097delG, c.28-30dupC, c.436G>T, c.273 + 10_273 + 11dupCC, c.995_996insG, c.1010T>A, c.332_333delCC and c.683C>T mutations. There were 25 cases of classic WAS which mutations included missense mutation, deletion mutation, insertion mutation, splicing mutation and nonsense mutation, 2 cases of X-linked thrombocytopenia (XLT) were induced by missense mutation, 1 case of intermittent X-linked thrombocytopenia (IXLT) was induced by splicing mutation, 2 cases of X-linked pancytopenia were induced by missense mutation. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and glucocorticoid therapy in IXLT patient was effective, and remission could be sustained, platelets could be increased in the short-term in treated XLT patients, but only a small part of classic WAS patients(8.0%) showed transient response to it, the IVIG and glucocorticoid therapy did not improve the status of platelet in XLP patients. Immune laboratory examination showed that CD3+ was decreased in 60.0% patients, CD19+ was decreased in 12.0% patients, and CD56+CD16+ in 4 patients was decreased, accounting for 16.0%. Out of 24 patients, 22 patients were alive after treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 4 patients who were not given HSCT died of brain bleeding and severe infection, 1 patient diagnosed as IXLT got remission and survived. WAS gene defect is an important basis for the diagnosis of WAS and related diseases. IVIG plus glucocorticoid therapy is less effective for fewer patients, the HSCT is an effective treatment for WAS.

Outcome and Safety of Different Cumulative Doses and Protocols of Intravenous Methylprednisolone in Moderate to Severe and Active Graves’ Ophthalmopathy

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Background: Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO), also known as Graves’ orbitopathy or thyroid eye disease, has a potential sight-threatening complications. The activity and severity are important determinants in GO and are implications for treatment. Intravenous Glucocorticoid (GC) was associated with significantly greater efficacy and was better tolerated than oral route in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe and active GO. Intravenous GC has a variation cumulative dose and protocols; meanwhile the optimal treatment is still undefined. The aim of this literature review was to analyze the outcome and safety of different cumulative doses and protocols of intravenous methylprednisolone of patients with moderate to severe and active GO. &#x0D; Methods: The literature search was conducted from Google Scholar and Pubmed for journal articles that were published and related to the use of IVGC in moderate to severe and active GO Results: From the keywords mentioned, titles were screened for eligibility and seventeen articles were found. After being checked for the duplication, the articles were screened based on the abstracts and/or full texts. As many as eight articles met the inclusion criteria, others were excluded. &#x0D; Conclusion: Intravenous GC therapy in moderate to severe and active GO provide effect in reducing CAS, decreasing lid aperture size, decreasing proptosis size, and disappearing diplopia. A protocol uses a low cumulative doses (&lt;5 g) of methylprednisolone weekly for 6 weeks and then halved dose weekly for another 6 weeks are preferred due to higher response in clinical outcome and safety profile. &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Current and Emerging Treatment Strategies for Graves' Orbitopathy.

Graves' orbitopathy is a debilitating disorder which occurs in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, mainly Graves' disease, and adds layers of complexity to management of both conditions. We conducted a comprehensive review of literature for publications relating to established and new management options for Graves' orbitopathy and have summarized key articles in this review. Initial evaluation of patients with Graves' disease should also include clinical evaluation for orbitopathy. If eye disease is present, patients are best managed by a multi-specialty team including an endocrinologist and ophthalmologist. All patients with Graves' orbitopathy benefit from risk factor modification and normalization of thyroid function tests. Patients with active, mild disease generally benefit from local therapies and selenium, while patients with moderate-to-severe disease usually require the addition of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy. If there is an inadequate response to glucocorticoid therapy, several second-line therapies have been investigated for use, including orbital radiotherapy (with additional glucocorticoids), rituximab, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and methotrexate. Use of new biologic agents, mainly teprotumumab and tocilizumab, have demonstrated impressive reductions in disease activity and severity. If these results are confirmed, the treatment paradigm is likely to change in the future. Finally, there are several novel immunotherapies being investigated for Graves' disease, which may have treatment implications for Graves' orbitopathy as well. Overall, there are many encouraging advances in the therapy of Graves' orbitopathy that are making the future more promising for patients suffering from this disease.

Tocilizumab for thyroid eye disease.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune disorder that constitutes a major clinical and therapeutic challenge. Current treatment options for moderate-to-severe TED include immunotherapy, orbital radiotherapy and decompression surgery. Limited drugs of proven efficacy are available for the treatment of people with TED. Given the role in the pathogenesis of TED of interleukin (IL)-6 expression in adipocytes, fibroblasts and macrophages, the proposed theory is that inhibition of IL-6 by tocilizumab may be an effective treatment in TED by directly reducing the inflammatory response. In addition, there is an unmet need for a new treatment that can modify the natural course of the disease and reduce the incidence of late complications that can occur as a result of fibrosis following inflammation. To investigate the efficacy and harms of tocilizumab for the treatment of people with TED. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2018, Issue 6); MEDLINE Ovid; Embase Ovid; LILACS BIREME; OpenGrey; the ISRCTN registry; ClinicalTrials.gov; the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and the EU Clinical Trials Register. The date of the search was 31 July 2018. We searched for trials of tocilizumab administered by intravenous infusion using any dosage regimen, compared with placebo or intravenous glucocorticoid therapy for people with TED. We planned to use standard methods recommended by Cochrane. The primary outcome was change in TED score (as defined by investigators). Secondary outcomes included measurement of the following parameters: change in proptosis, change in extraocular motility, change in palpebral aperture measurements, number of relapses, development of optic neuropathy and change in quality of life score. We planned to measure these outcomes at three months (range two to six months) and 12 months (range six to 18 months) post-treatment. Adverse outcomes included any adverse effects identified in the trials at any time point. No studies met the inclusion criteria of this review. We found one randomised, placebo-controlled, double masked study (NCT01297699). This study plans to evaluate the efficacy and harms of tocilizumab administration in people with moderate-to-severe or sight-threatening graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), that had not responded adequately to treatment with intravenous corticosteroid pulses. It was completed in December 2015 and will be assessed for inclusion in the review when data become available. There is currently no evidence from randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and harms of tocilizumab for the treatment of people with TED.

A single-center retrospective study of factors related to the effects of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy in moderate-to-severe and active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

BackgroundIntravenous glucocorticoids (ivGC) have been recommended as a first-line treatment of moderate-to-severe and active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). However, not all patients are responsive to ivGC. The identification of potential factors used to predict their efficacy and the selection of suitable patients have both been lacking.MethodsIt was a single center retrospective study. Potential factors related to the effects of ivGC were analyzed using logistic regression in 90 consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe and active TAO, who received 4.5 g ivGC therapy. Response was defined as the achievement of at least three points of the overall response.ResultsFifty-two (57.8%) patients showed a positive response to ivGC therapy. Significant correlations were observed between the effects of ivGC and pretreatment clinical activity score (CAS), duration of eye symptoms, and restoration of euthyroidism. The two latter factors were both independent. The duration of eye symptoms was negatively correlated with the effects of ivGC, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.984 (p = 0.012). Restoration of euthyroidism (OR = 3.282, p = 0.039) and pretreatment CAS (OR = 1.653, p < 0.01) were both positively correlated with the effects of ivGC. The diagnostic accuracy of the duration of eye symptoms was ≤13 months (p = 0.000), with a specificity of 76.9%, and sensitivity of 65.8%. The diagnostic accuracy of the pretreatment CAS was more than 2.5 (p = 0.000), with a specificity of 61.5% and sensitivity of 80.5%. Besides, a multi-variables prediction model were established as well, which was better in the forecasting aspect with an area under curve of 0.784 (p = 0.000).ConclusionsThe duration of eye symptoms and restoration of euthyroidism are independent factors that are associated with the effects of ivGC. The following practical implications were inferred: firstly, the shorter the duration of eye symptoms, the more favorable the effects of ivGC therapy. Thus, prompt diagnosis and treatment (within 13 months) is important. Secondly, the restoration of euthyroidism improves the efficacy of ivGC. Thirdly, hope the multi-variables prediction model can be applied to clinical therapy in the future.

Long-term clinical outcomes of pulsed corticosteroids with or without orbital irradiation for moderate to severe Graves' ophthalmopathy

Objective To investigate long-term clinical efficacy and side effects of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy with or without orbital radiotherapy in moderate to severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. Methods A total of 38 patients with moderate to severe Graves' ophthalmopathy were investigated. 19 of them were treated with intravenous glucocorticoid only; in the other 19 patients glucocorticoid treatment was followed by orbital radiotherapy. Eye tearing, eye pain, soft tissue congestion, edema, exophthalmos, and diplopia were compared before and after treatment. These symptoms, general curative effect, and patients satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups, and side effects were recorded. Results Photophobia, tearing, eye pain, soft tissue congestion, edema, exophthalmos, and diplopia were all improved after treatment. Hormone combined with radiotherapy and hormone therapy alone did not yield a difference in these symptoms. Patients in the 2 groups showed the same satisfaction rate. However, in regard to the general curative effect, the group with orbital radiotherapy showed a better response rate. Of all these patients, 7 patients developed severe osteoporosis and complained bone pain, 7 patients put on body weight more than 2.5 kg each, and 1 patient developed diabetes. There was no severe liver damage or cardiovascular event. Conclusion The project of intravenous glucocorticoid given on 3 consecutive days every 4 weeks in one to 3 circles is an effective treatment for patients with moderate to severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. Intravenous glucocorticoid combined with orbital radiotherapy is more effective than intravenous glucocorticoid alone for moderate to severe Graves' ophthalmopathy patients. Strict assessment before treatment may avoid severe side effects, and in a long-time follow-up, osteoporosis is the main side effect which should be alerted. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2015, 31: 506-509) Key words: Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy; Glucocorticoids; Radiotherapy

A questionnaire survey on the management of Graves' orbitopathy in China: A comparison with Europe and Latin-America

ObjectiveManagement of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) continues to be a challenge to clinical endocrinologists. In the last few years, surveys on GO management have succeeded in elucidating trends in Europe and Latin America. To determine how endocrinologists in China assess and treat patients with GO and gain insight into how to make the management of this disease more uniform and standardized. MethodsBased on the questionnaire used in the European survey on GO, a questionnaire in China was drafted and circulated to the members of Chinese Society of Endocrinology (CSE) during the annual meeting. ResultsA total of 124 valid responses were analysed. Almost all respondents (94.4%) claimed that a multidisciplinary approach for GO management was valuable. Over 80% of the participants advocated the assessment of exophthalmometry, vision, visual fields by perimetry, eye movements, and fundoscopy. Glucocorticoids were preferred as the first-line therapy by 92.7% of respondents, among them, 59.7% choose the intravenous route. The treatment strategy for GO with intravenous glucocorticoids therapy still remains debatable. Anti-thyroid drugs (ATDs) were the most common choice (72.6%) for first-line therapy of coexisting hyperthyroidism. Treatment options for GO were very similar among Chinese, Latin-American and European respondents, whereas radioactive iodine and surgical treatment were more often indicated for co-existing hyperthyroidism in China. ConclusionThe appropriate treatment for patients with GO is controversial even among thyroid specialists. Further training of thyroid specialists, easier access of patients to multidisciplinary centres and establishment of practice guidelines are required for the management of this condition in China.

Short-term efficacies of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy for moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy

To evaluate the outcomes of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy with or without orbital radiotherapy for moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. A total of 83 patients with moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy were retrospectively analyzed. Intravenous glucocorticoid was given to patients for 3 consecutive days every four weeks in 1-3 circles. The regimens included intravenous glucocorticoid alone (n = 36) and intravenous glucocorticoid plus orbital radiotherapy (n = 47). Photophobia, lacrimation, eye pain, soft tissue congestion, edema, exophthalmos and diplopia were compared before and after treatment. The symptoms and efficacies were compared between two groups. During a 12-week follow-up, clinical activity score (CAS), exophthalmos and diplopia all improved after treatment (P < 0.05). However, the changes of CAS, exophthalmos or diplopia showed no inter-group differences (P > 0.05). The overall clinical response was 50% in glucocorticoid group and 63.8% in glucocorticoid plus orbital radiotherapy group. And there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy may be relieved by pulsed intravenous glucocorticoid with or without orbital radiotherapy. There is no inter-group difference in short-term efficacies.

Intravenous glucocorticoid therapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy and acute liver damage: an epidemiological study.

Intravenous glucocorticoid (i.v.GC) pulse therapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) can be associated with acute liver damage (ALD), which was roughly estimated to occur in ∼1% of patients, with an overall mortality of 0.4%. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of ALD after the introduction of a series of exclusion criteria and preventive measures. Retrospective evaluation of all consecutive patients candidate to i.v.GC over a period of 5 years. The study includes 376 GO patients candidate to i.v.GC. Several liver tests were performed before, during, and after i.v.GC. To prevent ALD morbidity and mortality, the following measures were applied: i) exclusion of patients with active viral hepatitis and/or severe liver steatosis; ii) reduction in the GC dose, frequency, and number of pulses; and iii) administration of oral GC after i.v.GC, and also during i.v.GC in patients positive for nonorgan-specific autoantibodies (to prevent autoimmune hepatitis due to immune rebound). ALD was defined as an increase in alanine aminotransferase ≥ 300 U/l. A total of 353 patients were given i.v.GC and 23 were excluded for various conditions. ALD was detected in 4/376 patients candidate to i.v.GC, resulting in a morbidity of 1.06%. One patient recovered spontaneously and three after additional treatment with oral GC, given to re-establish immune suppression in the suspect of an autoimmune hepatitis. ALD related to i.v.GC is a relatively rare adverse event. Provided an accurate selection of patients and a series of preventive measures are applied, i.v.GC is a safe treatment for the liver.

World thyroidology news

The article is to overview papers: Effect of vitamin C on the absorption of levothyroxine in patients with hypothyroidism and gastritis. Management of neonates born to women with Graves’ disease: a cohort study. A prospective, randomized trial of intravenous glucocorticoids therapy with different protocols for patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Glucocorticoid regimens for prevention of Graves’ ophthalmopathy progression following radioiodine treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis. Smoking induces overexpression of immediate early genes in active Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Obesity and the risk of papillary thyroid cancer: A pooled analysis of three case-control studies. Differentiation of postpartum Graves’ thyrotoxicosis from postpartum destructive thyrotoxicosis using antithyrotropin receptor antibodies and thyroid blood flow. Follow-up of newborns of mothers with Graves’ disease. Severity of birth defects after propylthiouracil exposure in early pregnancy. The attitude toward hypothyroid- ism during early gestation: time for a change of mind? Effect of iodine restriction on thyroid function in subclinical hypothyroid patients in an iodine-replete area: A long period observa- tion in a large-scale cohort. Subclinical hypothyroidism and risk for incident ischemic stroke among postmenopausal women. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis pathology and risk for thyroid cancer. Anxiety and depression are more prevalent in patients with Graves’ disease than in patients with nodular goitre. The TRHR gene is associated with hypothalamo-pituitary sensitivity to levothyroxine.

Pituitary apoplexy during pregnancy: a rare, but dangerous headache.

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare endocrine emergency that occurs in a small number of patients with a pituitary tumor. It is a clinical syndrome characterized by the sudden onset of headache, nausea, vomiting, visual impairment, and decreased consciousness, caused by hemorrhage and/or infarction of the pituitary gland. Pituitary apoplexy has very rarely been described during pregnancy, when it is potentially life-threatening to both the mother and the fetus, if unrecognized. Only a few cases have been published to date. The review of the existing literature underlines that pituitary apoplexy, although rare, should be borne in mind when a pregnant woman presents with severe headache and visual defects of sudden onset. After initial management, which includes intravenous glucocorticoid therapy, fluid and electrolyte replacement, the final selection of medical or surgical treatment should result from a multidisciplinary approach involving expert specialists, keeping into account both severity of clinical presentation and gestational week.

Presentation of atrial fibrillation following oral dexamethasone treatment in a NF2 patient

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia which is associated with an increased risk of mortality secondary to stroke and coronary artery disease. Intravenous glucocorticoid therapy (such as dexamethasone and hydrocortisone) is frequently used peri-operatively in patients undergoing cardiac surgery to prevent A-fib. Dexamethasone is also frequently used in patients with single or bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS), to reduce tumor swelling both before and after radiation treatment. We describe a case of A-fib in a 50year-old female patient with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2), who was prescribed dexamethasone for post-radiation tumor edema.

A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Intravenous Glucocorticoids Therapy With Different Protocols for Patients With Graves' Ophthalmopathy

For patients with active moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), a course of 4.5 g iv glucocorticoids (GCs) is the recommended therapy. The weekly protocol is preferred because of the potential safety concerns with the daily protocol. However, evidence for the superiority of different administration protocols is lacking. We conducted a prospective, randomized trial to compare the efficacy and safety of two protocols of iv 4.5 g methylprednisolone in a total of 80 patients in our institute. The patients were randomized to receive iv methylprednisolone weekly or daily. The response rate (a composite response endpoint including lid width, soft tissue involvement, proptosis, intraocular pressure, Clinical Activity Score [CAS], diplopia, and visual acuity) was evaluated as the primary outcome, and adverse effects were recorded at each visit. GO-associated serum cytokines were measured. We found a significantly greater response rate for the weekly protocol vs the daily protocol at the 12th week (76.92 vs 41.03%; P = .0025) and a similar response rate at the fourth week. Seven patients on the daily protocol worsened when tapering iv methylprednisolone to oral prednisone in the fourth week. Patients in both groups showed significant CAS response, and at the 12th week, patients on the weekly protocol showed a nonsignificant trend toward greater CAS response. Weekly protocol showed significant prolonged retreatment-free survival. Severe side effects were only observed in two cases, both of which were on the daily protocol. Furthermore, we observed sustained decreased levels of serum CXCL10 in the 12th week compared to the baseline level (P = .0009) in the patients on the weekly protocol. The weekly protocol of iv methylprednisolone therapy is more efficient and safer than the daily protocol for patients with active moderate-to-severe GO.

Duration of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy in patients with Graves ophthalmopathy

Thyroid gland: Duration of intravenous glucocorticoid therapy in patients with Graves ophthalmopathy

P.11.9 Analyses of 70 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy receiving intermittent intravenous combined with oral glucocorticoid therapy

To investigate retrospectively the clinical and laboratory appearance of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and evaluate intermittent intravenous combined with oral glucocorticoid therapeutic efficacy of glucocorticosteroid. We collected the clinical, laboratory and follow-up data of 70 patients with DMD who receiving intermittent intravenous combined with oral glucocorticoid therapy, compared the level of serum creatine kinase (CK) and motor ability after glucocorticosteroid therapy with those before glucocorticosteroid therapy by statistical analysis, quantitatively evaluated their myocardium impairments and muscle involvement of lower limb. 1. The level of serum CK had three peaks at the age of 3, 5 and 8 respectively, and significantly decreased after 10–15 days dexamethasone (5–10 mg) intravenous drop infusion, and increased again after 1 month’s prednisone (0.5–0.75 mg/kg d) oral administration. 2. The motor ability improved in the patients receiving intermittently intravenous dexamethasone. 3. The myocardial perfusion imaging of DMD showed significantly uneven ventricular radionuclide distribution, was “spotted like” change. Intermittently intravenous glucocorticoid therapy had an important effect on improving myocardial perfusion, without significant changes in the heart function. 4. The selective muscle involvement was observed in lower limb MRI, muscles in thigh were more severe than in lower leg, quadriceps femoris and calf were predominantly involved, gracilis and semitendinosus were relatively preserved. There are hyperCKemia and myocardial damage in the sub-clinical stage of DMD. Myocardium and muscular impairments are positively correlated with age. Intermittent intravenous combined with oral glucocorticoid therapy has an important effect on the protection of motor and cardiac function.

Idiopathic Orbital Myositis Associated with Graves' Disease

A 52-year-old man was referred to our clinic. One week before his visit, he had complained of left eye pain and double vision. His clinical features were exacerbated. Despite the acute onset, which is atypical of thyroid eye disease (TED), TED was suspected due to the patient's history of Graves' disease (GD). After conducting clinical examinations and orbital magnetic resonance imaging, the patient was diagnosed with idiopathic orbital myositis (IOM), and intravenous glucocorticoid therapy was administered. After treatment, the patient's clinical manifestations dramatically improved. This is a rare case in that the history of GD made it difficult to differentiate IOM from TED.