Quality of life in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy is markedly decreased: Measurement by the medical outcomes study instrument

To assess the impact of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) on quality of life using a general questionnaire, we performed a descriptive study on consecutive ophthalmopathy patients. We included 70 consecutive, euthyroid patients (age >18 years, 50 females, 20 males, mean ± SD age 53 ± 13 years) with varying degrees of severity of GO. General quality of life was assessed with the brief survey (24 questions) from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS- 24), and three subscales of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP). In comparison with a large published reference group, low scores on the MOS-24 were found. Mean ± SD scores (difference from reference group) were: physical functioning 58 ± 31 (-28), role functioning 72 ± 40 (-15), social functioning 78 ± 25 (-14), mental health 67 ± 18 (-10), health perceptions 46 ± 22 (-26), and bodily pain 68 ± 28 (-6). MOS-24 and SIP scores did not correlate with the duration, severity, or activity of the ophthalmopathy. In conclusion, we have shown that mild to moderately severe GO has a large influence on the quality of life of these patients. The negative impact on well-being seems not to be related to the usual clinical assessment. These results underscore the need for quality-of-life measurements in clinical trials.