Relationship of eye muscle antibodies with HLA phenotypes and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins in endocrine orbitopathy.

The relationship between endocrine orbitopathy and Graves' hyperthyroidism is still not clairified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the incidence of eye muscle antibodies and the relationship with HLA phenotypes and thyroid antibodies in 65 patients with endocrine orbitopathy classes 1–5. Both bovine and abdominal muscles were used as antigens in ELISA systems in which IgG and IgM antibodies were assayed. Before starting the immunosuppressant therapy, 46/65 patients (71%) showed a positive result for eye muscle antibodies. Those patients with an active disease had such antibodies more frequently. Where the ophthalmopathy was of recent onset IgM antibodies were found, whereas pati…