Comparison of ophthalmic surgery rates in teprotumumab-treated vs. teprotumumab-untreated thyroid eye disease patients.

Purpose: This study evaluated rates of thyroid eye disease-related eyelid surgeries, strabismus surgeries, and orbital decompressions in active thyroid eye disease patients treated with teprotumumab compared to those who were not.

Methods: In this single-center longitudinal study, we compared patients with active thyroid eye disease evaluated from 02/01/2017 to 01/31/2020 (pre-teprotumumab era) with those seen from 02/01/2020 to 04/30/2023 (teprotumumab era). Patients from the pre-teprotumumab era who received corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation were compared with those in the teprotumumab era treated with teprotumumab, with or without corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation. The primary outcomes were rates of orbital decompressions, strabismus surgery, and eyelid surgery among patients with at least 6 months of follow-up. Orbital decompressions involving two or more walls were classified as severe.

Results: Of 486 records reviewed, 106 patients had active thyroid eye disease. Among them, 33 were from the pre-teprotumumab era; 22 received corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation, and 11 received no treatment. Seventy three patients were from the teprotumumab era; 37 received teprotumumab (with or without corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation), 10 received corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation alone, and 26 received no treatment. Demographics were comparable between groups. Orbital decompression was performed in 11 of 44 eyes (25.0%) in the pre-teprotumumab era treated with corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation (8 one-wall, 3 ≥two-wall), compared to 3 of 74 eyes (4.1%) in the teprotumumab era treated with teprotumumab with or without corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation (all one-wall). The overall rate of orbital decompressions and the rate of ≥two-wall decompressions were significantly lower in the teprotumumab era (p=0.02 and p=0.0496, respectively). There was no significant difference in one-wall decompressions between era (p=0.07). Rates of strabismus surgeries (27.3% vs. 13.5%, p=0.19) and eyelid surgeries (22.7% vs. 21.6%, p=0.92) did not significantly differ between the era.

Conclusions: In patients with active thyroid eye disease, treatment with teprotumumab was associated with a significantly lower rate and severity of orbital decompressions compared to treatment with corticosteroids and/or orbital radiation alone. However, the rates of strabismus and eyelid surgeries remained similar between groups.