AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and influence factors of Graves' ophthalmopathy treated by oral low dose prednisone.

METHODS: We examined the outcome at the end of 6 mo of oral prednisone 15mg daily treatment for Graves' ophthalmopathy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University during the period January 2010 to December 2012. Totally 118 patients ranging in age from 14 to 67 years old(mean 35.4±12.2). There were 37 males and 81 females. We compared the changes of the severity and clinical activity score(CAS)of Graves' ophthalmopathy before and after treatment. We defined clinical effectiveness as the severity assessment improvement and/or clinical activity score improvement from active to non-active. We evaluated the efficacy and influencing factors of Graves' ophthalmopathy treated by oral low dose prednisone.

RESULTS:After treatment, 58.5% patients were improved. The improvement in active patients were 72.6% significantly greater than in non-active patients 23.5%(P<0.01). Serum TRAb in active patients was significantly higher than in non-active patients(P<0.01). Among the severity assessment, less severity patients improved significantly greater than more severity(P<0.01). The longer the course, the more severity the patients(P<0.01). Either hyperthyroid or hypothyroid played a role in the exacerbation, leading to deterioration in patients(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION:Active Graves' ophthalmopathy patients improved greater than non-active patients after received oral prednisone 15mg daily treatment for 3-6 mo. The shorter the course, the milder the patients, and the more effective the treatment. So, we should treat Graves' ophthalmopathy as early as possible, and try our best to keep the patients euthyroid to avoid deterioration.