Pao Alto — Stanford researchers gained significant insight into Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) by studying the tears of patients. Despite the success of teprotumumab, a groundbreaking therapy for TED, many patients still experience persistent dry eye symptoms.
By analyzing tear samples from patients before and after treatment using proteomics,, the researchers identified significant molecular changes that explain why symptoms linger. They found that while some molecular improvements occurred, an underlying inflammatory response remained active on the ocular surface.
“Understanding the molecular basis of persistent symptoms in TED patients allows us to tailor more effective treatments,” noted Vinit B. Mahajan M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University and vice chair for research. “Our study opens the door to exploring new therapeutic strategies that can address these ongoing issues.”
For more details on their findings, readers can check out the full paper published in Nature’s Communications Medicine and explore their insights in the Nature Research Communities Blog.