Role of the Microbiome in Graves' Orbitopathy

Graves' orbitopathy (GO), also known as thyroid eye disease, affects approximately 3 million people in Europe with an estimated socioeconomic burden of 6.4 billion euros per annum. GO is a complication of Graves' disease which is an autoimmune disease and the commonest cause of an overactive thyroid gland. The treatment of GO remains unsatisfactory and the majority of patients report long-term impairment of quality of life. The effects of gut derived antigens, from micro-organisms and nutrients, on the autoimmune response will be tested in the animal model by probiotic and "contra-biotic" intervention. In the Indigo interventional trial the investigators will add to the standard anti-thyroid drug treatment (ATD) a specifically designed probiotics (LAB4, Cultech Ltd., West Glamorgan, UK) to assess whether it is possible to modify the microbiome in GD patients and improve their immunological status.