Table 2.
Proposed audit criteria for review of services managing thyroid eye disease
(1) Efficacy | Consideration of oral selenium supplements (91.3 mcg elemental selenium bd for 6 months) for patients with mild, active TED. |
Smoking cessation advice for patients who are smokers (Target 80%). | |
Prompt correction of dysthyroidism and maintenance of euthyroidism. | |
Where systemic steroid treatment is indicated, use of intravenous pulses of methylpred-nisolone in preference to oral steroids. | |
Availability of urgent treatment for sight-threatening orbitopathy, including surgical decompression for patients who fail to respond to high dose intravenous steroids. | |
Availability of orbital irradiation. | |
Availability of rehabilitative surgery for patients with inactive or minimally active disease who are significantly impaired, socially or psychologically as a result of TED. | |
(2) Safety | Appropriate selection of patients with TED who are being considered for radioiodine for suitability of steroid cover. |
Safe use of immunosuppressive treatments (exclusion of those for whom there are contraindications, assessment and monitoring of risks of serious adverse effects. | |
Timely assessment of response to high dose intravenous steroids and withdrawal of steroid treatment in favour of other therapies for those with inadequate response. | |
(3) Patient-centred care | Availability of good quality information about TED, its usual course, likely outcomes and potential treatments, complemented by high quality written information and access to patient-led organisations. |
Formulation of personalized management plans following multidisciplinary discussion. | |
Good communication between the clinical team and the patient. | |
Patient engagement with the decision process about management of TED. | |
Use of validated tools to assess the impact of TED on their quality of life, like the GO-QOL. | |
(4) Timely | Patients with sight-threatening TED (dysthyroid optic neuropathy resulting in significant reduction in visual acuity, corneal breakdown with impending or established infection, globe subluxation) should be treated urgently within 2 weeks. |
Patients with moderately to severe, active TED should be offered treatment within a six weeks from presentation. | |
Multiple surgical treatments in patients requiring complex rehabilitative surgery, should follow the sequence: orbital decompression/eye muscle surgery/lid surgery. | |
(5) Efficient | Referral pathways from primary to secondary and tertiary care, should be well defined and seamless. |
(6) Equitable | All patients should have access to excellent treatment. |