BACKGROUND: A recent consensus statement from the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy recommends referring all patients with thyroid eye disease (TED), except the mildest cases, to a specialist multidisciplinary clinic. OBJECTIVE: To study the patients' experiences of accessing services for the treatment of TED in the UK. METHODS: A postal questionnaire survey of 395 members of two patients support organisations for TED in the UK, the TED Charitable Trust and the British Thyroid Foundation. RESULTS: The response rate was 67%. The majority of responders were females (91%) and aged above 45 (74%). There were delays in the diagnosis and referral. In 26% of responders, the time lapsed from the first symptoms to the diagnosis of TED for over 12 months. There was a wide variation in the type of clinic and healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of TED. Only 25% of the responders attended a specialist TED clinic. Out of these, 33% waited over 6 months from the first consultation with a doctor to being seen at a specialist TED clinic. Only 56% of responders were satisfied with the treatment they received for TED. More responders who had attended a specialist TED clinic were satisfied with the treatment than those who had not attended a specialist clinic (67 vs 52%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Only a minority of patients with TED are treated at a specialist TED clinic in the UK. Those patients who are treated at a specialist TED clinic are more likely to be satisfied with the treatment.
BACKGROUND: A recent consensus statement from the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy recommends referring all patients with thyroid eye disease (TED), except the mildest cases, to a specialist multidisciplinary clinic. OBJECTIVE: To study the patients' experiences of accessing services for the treatment of TED in the UK. METHODS: A postal questionnaire survey of 395 members of two patients support organisations for TED in the UK, the TED Charitable Trust and the British Thyroid Foundation. RESULTS: The response rate was 67%. The majority of responders were females (91%) and aged above 45 (74%). There were delays in the diagnosis and referral. In 26% of responders, the time lapsed from the first symptoms to the diagnosis of TED for over 12 months. There was a wide variation in the type of clinic and healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of TED. Only 25% of the responders attended a specialist TED clinic. Out of these, 33% waited over 6 months from the first consultation with a doctor to being seen at a specialist TED clinic. Only 56% of responders were satisfied with the treatment they received for TED. More responders who had attended a specialist TED clinic were satisfied with the treatment than those who had not attended a specialist clinic (67 vs 52%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Only a minority of patients with TED are treated at a specialist TED clinic in the UK. Those patients who are treated at a specialist TED clinic are more likely to be satisfied with the treatment.
Authors: P Perros; T Chandler; C M Dayan; A J Dickinson; P Foley; J Hickey; C J Macewen; J H Lazarus; J McLaren; G E Rose; J M Uddin; B Vaidya Journal: Eye (Lond) Date: 2011-12-09 Impact factor: 3.775
Authors: Annika S Quinn; Leticia R Dujardin; Bridget Knight; James Benzimra; Anthony G Quinn; Bijay Vaidya Journal: Int Ophthalmol Date: 2017-02-08 Impact factor: 2.031
Authors: L Bartalena; G Veronesi; G E Krassas; W M Wiersinga; C Marcocci; M Marinò; M Salvi; C Daumerie; C Bournaud; M Stahl; L Sassi; C Azzolini; K G Boboridis; M P Mourits; M R Soeters; L Baldeschi; M Nardi; N Currò; A Boschi; M Bernard; G von Arx; P Perros; G J Kahaly Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 2017-02-07 Impact factor: 4.256