Graves' ophthalmopathy in childhood and adolescence
S. H. Uretsky, J. S. Kennerdell and J. P. Gutai
Thirty-four patients with childhood Graves' disease were examined to
determine the incidence and severity of Graves' ophthalmopathy in children
and adolescents. Twenty-three of the 34 patients formed a population of
childhood Graves' disease unselected for ocular disease; 11 were unaffected
and 12 (52.2%) had findings considered to be of mild functional importance.
The remaining 11 patients were referred for evaluation because of a history
of Graves' ophthalmopathy; eight (72.7%) exhibited findings of mild
severity and three the more meaningful complications of ophthalmoplegia.
There were no cases of dysthyroid optic neuropathy or sight-threatening
corneal involvement. Both the presence of asymmetric ocular manifestations
and increasing severity of disease seem to correlate with increasing age.
Although ophthalmoplegia does occur infrequently, Graves' ophthalmopathy in
children and adolescents seems to be a substantially more benign process
than that seen in adults.
