Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy

Abstract Background Various studies have shown decreased retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy (GO). We investigated whether retinal blood flow returned to normal levels after intravenous glucocorticoid treatment in active GO patients. Methods Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients...

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Main Authors: Hedayatullah Mohammadi, İrfan Botan Güneş, Şeyhmus Arı
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Ophthalmology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04184-8
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author Hedayatullah Mohammadi
İrfan Botan Güneş
Şeyhmus Arı
author_facet Hedayatullah Mohammadi
İrfan Botan Güneş
Şeyhmus Arı
author_sort Hedayatullah Mohammadi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Various studies have shown decreased retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy (GO). We investigated whether retinal blood flow returned to normal levels after intravenous glucocorticoid treatment in active GO patients. Methods Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with moderate or severe active GO and 32 eyes of 32 healthy participants were included. The blood flow in the superficial plexus (SP), deep retinal plexus (DP), external retinal (ER) capillary plexus and choriocapillaris was measured via OCT-Angiography before treatment with methylprednisolone and one week after the completion of treatment. In addition, central macular thickness, intraocular pressure, and best corrected visual acuity, were compared with those of the control group. Results Retinal blood flow (RBF) in the macula at SP, DP, ER and choriocapillaris levels was 48.38 ± 2.04, 54.17 ± 3.11, 0.42 ± 0.14 and 2176.45 ± 147.53 in the control group and 45.91 ± 4.56, 51.55 ± 3.84, 0.35 ± 0.34 and 2030.15 ± 132.15 in the active GO group, respectively. The RBF was significantly lower in the active GO group than in the control group at all angiographic levels (p < 0.001). Although blood flow increased after treatment, it remained lower than that in the control group (p < 0.001). The mean CMT was significantly greater in active GO patients before treatment than in the controls and after treatment (p < 0.001). No serious systemic or ocular side effects were observed in any of the patients. Conclusions After pulse glucocorticoid treatment, retinal blood flow increases but remains low compared with that in the healthy control group.
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spelling doaj-art-0db2cf21a25b496d86c818679456a75f2025-08-20T03:03:34ZengBMCBMC Ophthalmology1471-24152025-07-012511810.1186/s12886-025-04184-8Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathyHedayatullah Mohammadi0İrfan Botan Güneş1Şeyhmus Arı2Department of Ophthalmology, Medicalpark Kocaeli HospitalMedicalpark Kocaeli Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Kocaeli Health and Technology UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, Gaziantep University HospitalAbstract Background Various studies have shown decreased retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy (GO). We investigated whether retinal blood flow returned to normal levels after intravenous glucocorticoid treatment in active GO patients. Methods Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with moderate or severe active GO and 32 eyes of 32 healthy participants were included. The blood flow in the superficial plexus (SP), deep retinal plexus (DP), external retinal (ER) capillary plexus and choriocapillaris was measured via OCT-Angiography before treatment with methylprednisolone and one week after the completion of treatment. In addition, central macular thickness, intraocular pressure, and best corrected visual acuity, were compared with those of the control group. Results Retinal blood flow (RBF) in the macula at SP, DP, ER and choriocapillaris levels was 48.38 ± 2.04, 54.17 ± 3.11, 0.42 ± 0.14 and 2176.45 ± 147.53 in the control group and 45.91 ± 4.56, 51.55 ± 3.84, 0.35 ± 0.34 and 2030.15 ± 132.15 in the active GO group, respectively. The RBF was significantly lower in the active GO group than in the control group at all angiographic levels (p < 0.001). Although blood flow increased after treatment, it remained lower than that in the control group (p < 0.001). The mean CMT was significantly greater in active GO patients before treatment than in the controls and after treatment (p < 0.001). No serious systemic or ocular side effects were observed in any of the patients. Conclusions After pulse glucocorticoid treatment, retinal blood flow increases but remains low compared with that in the healthy control group.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04184-8GlucocorticoidsGraves’ ophthalmopathyOptical coherence tomography angiographyPulse therapyVessel, retinal blood
spellingShingle Hedayatullah Mohammadi
İrfan Botan Güneş
Şeyhmus Arı
Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
BMC Ophthalmology
Glucocorticoids
Graves’ ophthalmopathy
Optical coherence tomography angiography
Pulse therapy
Vessel, retinal blood
title Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
title_full Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
title_fullStr Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
title_full_unstemmed Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
title_short Effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active Graves’ orbitopathy
title_sort effects of pulse glucocorticoid treatment on retinal blood flow in patients with active graves orbitopathy
topic Glucocorticoids
Graves’ ophthalmopathy
Optical coherence tomography angiography
Pulse therapy
Vessel, retinal blood
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-04184-8
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AT seyhmusarı effectsofpulseglucocorticoidtreatmentonretinalbloodflowinpatientswithactivegravesorbitopathy