Overview
This retrospective observational study aims to evaluate the relationship between systemic inflammatory parameters, thyroid autoimmunity markers, and neuroretinal structures in patients with Graves disease. Medical records of patients diagnosed with Graves disease and healthy control subjects evaluated at Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital between August 2018 and January 2026 will be reviewed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements, including macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, will be analyzed. Laboratory parameters such as complete blood count-derived inflammatory indices, C-reactive protein, thyroid function tests, and thyroid autoantibodies will also be recorded. The study will compare neuroretinal parameters between healthy controls, Graves disease patients without ophthalmopathy, and Graves disease patients with ophthalmopathy, and will investigate potential associations between systemic inflammation, thyroid autoimmunity, and neuroretinal structural changes.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 18 years
Diagnosis of Graves' disease (for the patient group)
No known thyroid disease in healthy control participants
Availability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements and laboratory data
Time interval between OCT examination and blood sampling ≤ 10 days
Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of glaucoma, optic neuropathy, or retinal vascular diseases
Macular diseases, uveitis, or severe refractive error (high myopia \>6 diopters)
Diabetic retinopathy
History of previous intraocular surgery
History of active infection, malignancy, or systemic inflammatory disease
Poor-quality OCT measurements (segmentation errors or low signal strength)
