Open Journal of Ophthalmology, 2021, 11, 229-239
https://www.scirp.org/journal/ojoph
ISSN Online: 2165-7416
ISSN Print: 2165-7408
DOI: 10.4236/ojoph.2021.113018 Aug. 9, 2021 229 Open Journal of Ophthalmology
Unilateral Periorbital Oedema with
Hypothyroidism and Multinodular Goiter
Blerta Rama, Nishant Taneja, Nazmije Martinaj, Genc Shala,
Admir Sulovari, Naser Gjonbalaj
Department of Ophthalmology of Prishtina (Kosovo) and Tirana (Albania), Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology,
Department Endocrinology, Radiology, Allergology, Infectiology, American Hospital Pristina, Prishtina, Kosovo
Abstract
Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy is an autoimmune disorder which
involves orbital and periorbital tissue. The immune-mediated inflammation
of the orbital tissues can involve extraocular muscles, orbital connective tissue
or orbital fat and periocular soft tissues. Bilateral involvement of thyroid
associated orbitopathy is usually asymmetric, but unilateral thyroid associated
orbitopathy has been less reported. Periorbital oedema as the only sign with
hypothyroidism is uncommon and if present, it is more frequent bilaterally
present and no cases are evidenced as unilateral. Pitting oedema in hypothy-
roidism is rare and can be due to increased capillary permeability, decreased
adrenergic tone and increase in serotonin metabolism. Unilateral periorbital
and eyelid oedema can associate with various clinical entities, multidiscipli-
nary team is necessary to exclude the concomitant disease, so the patient can
immediately be treated with proper therapy. We represent the case of un-
usually unilateral recurrent periorbital oedema in the period of time for 3
years with stabilized primary hypothyroidism and multinodular goitre.
Keywords
Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy, Hypothyroidism, Periorbital Oedema
1. Introduction
Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy is an autoimmune disorder which involves
orbital and periorbital tissue, although the clear mechanism is not clearly un-
derstood. Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy is the most common in Graves’
disease, but it also occurs in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients [1]. Thyroid
associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is associated in 80% of the cases with
How to cite this paper: Rama, B., Taneja,
N., Martinaj, N., Shala, G., Sulovari, A. and
Gjonbalaj, N. (2021) Unilateral Periorbital
Oedema with Hypothyroidism and Multi-
nodular Goiter. Open Journal of Ophthal-
mology, 11, 229-239.
https://doi.org/10.4236/ojoph.2021.113018
Received: May 19, 2021
Accepted: August 6, 2021
Published: August 9, 2021
Copyright © 2021 by author(s) and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access