Correlation Between Level Of TNF-α And Activity Of Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy After Treatment With Glucocorticoid

ObjectiveAs a complex orbital disease caused by multiple autoimmune thyroid diseases, TAO is generally considered to be associated with immune factors, genetic factors and external environmental factors, its pathogenesis remains unclear. it remains a tough challenge for clinical treatment. The present study have shown that several cytokines (Cytokines, CK) such as tumor necrosis factor (Tumor necrosis factor, TNF), interferon (Interferon, IFN), interleukin-1 (Interleukin-1, IL-1), IL-4 and other involved in the occurrence and development of TAO. we detected the expression of TNF-a in the blood of TAO patients, to analyze the correlation with the TAO,and provide experimental basis for clinical treatment.Methods93 subjects were divided into three groups,33 patients with TAO,30 patients with Graves disease(GD) and 30 normal controls. The serum levels of TNF-a were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of FT3> FT4、TSH、 TGAb、TPOAb were examined with automated chemiluminecence system.Results①TNF-αconcentrations were15.076±2.486ng/ml、8.136±0.527ng/ml and 2.276± 0.315in the peripheral blood serum of TAO Group, GD group and the CON group Compared with the control group, the expression of TNF-a was significantly higher in serum of TAO and GD groups (P<0.01; P<0.01). GD group serum TNF-a concentrations were significantly lower compared with TAO group (P<0.01)②thirty-three patients with TAO were treated with antithyroid drug and glucocorticoid for three months, TNF-alevel was reduced,TAO activity and severity of these patients were ameliorated but still positively associated with TNF-a.Couclusion① Compared with GD and CON group, TNF-a expression was significantly increased in the peripheral blood of TAO patients.② TNF-αnot only triggers of TAO but also plays a possible role in the autoimmune process in TAO.