Retina & vitreous · practice question
Which single measure most reduces their risk of progression?
[READINESS SEED] A newly diagnosed patient with mild thyroid eye disease asks what they can personally do to reduce the chance of the disease becoming severe. Which single measure most reduces their risk of progression?
Show the answer and explanationAnswer and explanation
Answer: A. Stopping smoking
Smoking is the strongest modifiable risk factor for thyroid eye disease, increasing its likelihood and severity several-fold and blunting the response to treatment; cessation is the single most effective patient-controlled measure. The other options are inappropriate or ineffective preventives.
Clinical pearl: The smoking effect is dose-dependent, and the excess risk falls after quitting — a concrete lever to give patients at the first visit. Non-modifiable factors predicting more severe disease include male sex, age over 50, radioiodine therapy, high TSH-receptor-antibody titres, and poorly controlled hyperthyroidism; high serum cholesterol is an emerging (EUGOGO) risk factor, so statins may be protective.