Thyroid Eye Disease and Its Association With Diabetes Mellitus: A Major Review.

PURPOSE: Thyroid eye disease (TED) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) presents unique challenges. DM is a risk factor for TED. Standard management of TED with glucocorticoids (GC), orbital radiation, or teprotumumab can cause adverse events in poor glycemic control. The authors reviewed the literature on the relationship between TED and DM and the management of co-existing diseases. METHODS: The authors searched PubMed with keywords "thyroid eye disease," "diabetes mellitus," and similar terms from 2013 to 2022. The authors included relevant studies after screening the abstracts. Additional references to the selected studies were included where applicable. Data were extracted from the final articles according to the preplanned outline of the review. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 279 abstracts. The final review included 93 articles. TED and DM interact at multiple levels-genetic, immunologic, cellular, nutritional, and metabolic. Both DM and thyroid dysfunction exacerbate the morbidity caused by the other. Metabolic factors also affect the inflammatory pathway for TED. Patients with DM develop TED with greater frequency and severity, necessitating interventions for vision salvage. Agents (GC, teprotumumab, or radiation) used for TED are often unsuitable for treatment with DM, especially if there is poor glycemic control or diabetic retinopathy. There were no studies on using steroid-sparing agents in TED with DM. CONCLUSION: TED and DM co-exist because of multiple intersections in the pathophysiology. Challenges in the treatment include increased TED severity and risk of hyperglycemia and retinopathy. Multidisciplinary teams best undertake treatment of TED with DM.

Transcaruncular medial orbitotomy: A globe sparing intervention in management of COVID associated mucormycosis [CAM].

AIMS: To describe a novel method of transcaruncular medial orbitotomy, local debridement and amphotericin B irrigation into orbit for COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital mucormycosis. Also to evaluate its its outcome in controlling the disease, increasing the survival rate and as a globe-sparing intervention in them. METHODOLOGY: A total of ten COVID-19-associated mucormycosis patients with clinical and radiological evidence of orbital involvement with necrotic tissue localized in medial orbit were considered for our study. A transcaruncular modified medial orbitotomy with medial and inferomedial orbit debridement was done along with placement of scalp vein catheter by a single surgeon. Postoperatively 3.5 mg/ml liposomal amphotericin B irrigation through the catheter was done for 5 sittings. Correction of underlying systemic conditions and intravenous antifungals were given. Clinical response to the procedure was noted on postoperative week 1, week 4, and 3rd month (week 12). RESULTS: The mean age group was noted to be 49.9 years with a male: female ratio of 2.3:1. All patients were diabetics with 5 being newly detected diabetes after COVID infection. All the ten patients showed significant clinical improvement at the first follow-up (week 1). Five patients at 1st month showed clinical and radiological improvement, while one patient had worsening of orbital disease for which exenteration was done. Three patients succumbed to the disease due to altered cardiopulmonary status and 1 patient was lost to follow-up. All 6 survived patients were stable till the last follow-up. Hence, mortality rate accounted to 30% and globe survival of 40% in the current study. CONCLUSION: Transcaruncular approach to orbit for adequate debridement combined with amphotericin irrigation is a novel technique that can be considered for compartmental involvement of orbit in mucormycosis. Debridement removes the necrotic tissue, while local amphotericin irrigation directly reaches the target tissues that effectively halts the disease progression and hence can be considered an effective globe-sparing intervention without affecting the disease outcome.

Outcome of transcutaneous retrobulbar injection of liposomal amphotericin B in post-COVID-19 rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis: Our experience.

Purpose: To assess the outcome and response of transcutaneous retrobulbar injection of amphotericin B (TRAMB) in post-coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) and to establish a scoring system in guiding treatment modalities. Methods: An interventional, prospective study was done on 82 eyes of post-COVID-19 ROCM from May 2021 to July 2021. A comprehensive multi-departmental evaluation along with detailed ophthalmic examination, laboratory investigations, and radiological examination was done. Scoring points were given to each symptom, sign, and radiological features of orbit and the total score was taken. Based on these scores, severity of disease was grouped into A, B, and C corresponding to mild, moderate, and severe orbital ROCM. One milliliter of reconstituted liposomal amphotericin B was given to all patients every alternate day as three doses. Efficacy of these injections was assessed in all groups, even though other treatment modalities like orbital debridement and exenteration were considered for moderate and severe cases. Patients were followed up for a period of 8 weeks. Results: Out of 82 eyes, symptomatic improvement was seen in a major proportion (72%) of patients. A statistically significant improvement in scores was noted in group A (93% improved) with a P value of 0.002, while 68.4% showed improvement in group B (P-value- 0.0001). Group C with severe disease showed minimal improvement in post-injection scores of 41% (P-value 0.086), necessitating surgical intervention. No serious adverse effect of the drug or procedure was noted. Conclusion: Significant improvement in scores of groups A and B highlights TRAMB as an effective and safe treatment modality in mild to moderate ROCM. It is an effective adjunct in severe cases, along with other interventions. Also, the scoring system helps in assessing the severity and guiding in management strategies.

Neuro-ophthalmic presentation of COVID-19 disease: A case report.

COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, which has affected various organ systems as well. Here we report a neuro-ophthalmic presentation of pituitary apoplexy under the setting of COVID-19 infection in a middle-aged man who presented to ophthalmic emergency with sudden bilateral loss of vision along with a history of fever past 10 days. There was sluggishly reacting pupils and RT-PCR for COVID was positive. Imaging pointed the diagnosis as pituitary macroadenoma with apopexy. In view of pandemic situation, patient was given symptomatic treatment as per the protocols and stabilized. Vision also showed improvement to some extent and the patient is awaiting neurosurgery.

Severity of thyroid eye disease and type-2 diabetes mellitus: Is there a correlation?

Purpose: To study the correlation between thyroid eye disease (TED) with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted from Jan 2018 to Dec 2018, in patients presenting with thyroid eye disease to orbit and oculoplasty clinic of a tertiary eye care hospital. A total of 105 patients were included in the study. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluation and thyroid eye disease workup. Patients were categorized into mild, moderate, and severe/sight-threatening TED based on EUGOGO classification. Systemic history of diabetes was noted. RBS was done in all patients. Results: Mild disease was noted 61 patients of which 11 were diabetics, moderate in 26 patients (8 diabetics), and severe disease in 18 patients (14 diabetics). All patients were treated accordingly. Among the TED patients, the percentage of diabetic patients was noted to be in increasing order toward the severity spectrum of TED. The prevalence of severe TED was found to be much higher in diabetic patients accounting upto 77.77% of 18 patients. A statistically significant correlation was noted (P = 0.014) between severe TED and type-2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, early onset of thyroid eye disease was noted in type-2 diabetes patients. Even though female preponderance was noted, severe TED was more in men (66.6%). Conclusion: An autoimmune etiology for the association of thyroid and type-1diabetes has been well established. This study shows that type-2 diabetic patients can have more severity in the clinical presentation of TED. Therefore, the presence of type-2 DM in patients with TED can be a predictive factor for onset, progression, and severity of disease. Hence, a high concern of interest among treating ophthalmologists and endocrinologists regarding this entity would help in early prediction and decreased morbidity among such patients.