Demonstration of Delayed Hypersensitivity to Retrobulbar and Thyroid Tissues in Human Exophthalmos

Abstract

A positive leukocyte migration test has been found for thyroid and retrobulbar tissue antigens in 9 out of 10 patients with progressive exophthalmos. Six out of 10 patients with Graves' disease but no exophthalmos also exhibited a positive test for the same antigens. Less antigenic protein was necessary to obtain a positive leukocyte migration test in patients with exophthalmos than for patients without exophthalmos. This difference was more evident when retrobulbar tissue was the tested antigen.