Thyroid function in short children born small-for-gestational age (SGA) before and during GH treatment

Disturbances in thyroid function have been described in small-for-gestational age (SGA) children but the influence of prematurity is unclear. In addition, the effect of GH treatment on thyroid function has not been studied in short SGA children.

To determine whether short SGA children have higher TSH levels compared to age-matched controls and evaluate the influence of gestational age. To investigate whether GH treatment alters thyroid function.

A total of 264 short SGA children (116 preterm), prepubertal and non-GH deficient.

Serum FT4 and TSH at baseline and after 6, 12 and 24 months of GH treatment.

Baseline mean TSH was higher in preterm short SGA children than in age-matched controls (P < 0.05). Mean FT4 was not significantly different between short SGA children and controls. Baseline FT4 or TSH did not correlate with gestational age, or SDS for birth weight, birth length, height, body mass index, IGF-I or IGFBP-3. Mean FT4 decreased significantly during the first 6 months of GH treatment, but remained within the normal range. TSH did not change during treatment. The change in FT4 did not correlate with the change in height SDS during 24 months of GH treatment.

Preterm short SGA children have higher, although within the normal range, TSH levels than controls. The level of TSH does not correlate with gestational age, birth weight SDS or birth length SDS. FT4 decreases during GH treatment, but is neither associated with an increase in TSH nor does it affect the response to GH treatment. As these mild alterations in thyroid function do not appear clinically relevant, frequent monitoring of thyroid function during GH therapy is not warranted in short SGA children.