To determine if racial variation is a determining factor for needing an orbital decompression in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).

Retrospective interventional case series of patients with thyroid orbitopathy

The racial ratio in the referral population in Leicestershire UK from the 2001 census is 94.7% Caucasian, 3.7% Asian, 0.8% mixed, 0.3% Afro-caribbean and 0.5% other.

The average follow-up duration was six years.

The trigger factors associated with TAO identified were poorly controlled thyroid function (194), smoking (334), stress (75) and systemic infection (54). On average, each patient who underwent orbital decompression had 1.8 trigger factors in comparison to 1.34 trigger factors in patients who did not undergo orbital decompression.

50 patients underwent unilateral orbital decompression and 81 had bilateral orbital decompression. The racial ratio of patients who had orbital decompression was 90.84% Caucasian, 6.10% Asian, 2.29% Afro-caribbean and 0.76% others. The p-value from Chi-square test was 0.053 (ie race might not be a determining factor in needing orbital decompression among thyroid orbitopathy patients).

The indications for orbital decompression were medically controlled or refractory active thyroid orbitopathy (67 Caucasians, 6 Asians, 1 others) and cosmesis (52 Caucasians, 2 Asians, 3 Afro-caribbeans).

The racial ratio of medically controlled or refractory active thyroid orbitopathy patients undergoing orbital decompression was 90.54% Caucasian, 8.11% Asian and 1.35% others.

Our result shows that TAO is equally common among all races in our referral population. Racial variation may not be a determining factor for needing an orbital decompression among TAO patients.